The Tender Princess' Unexpected Guest
by AbandonedSock
Summary: While Kaname is on his murderous spree, Zero is sent to do some investigating by the association. However, when injured on the job, the tender princess soon finds him…"Zero? Wake up. Please…" Zeki.
1. Chapter 1

**While Kaname is on his murderous spree, Zero is sent to do some investigating by the association. However, when injured on the job, the girl he didn't want to encounter anytime soon finds him…**

* * *

The only thing I could hear was the fast panting of my breath and the scrunch of my footsteps upon the snow. Even with my vampiric powers, I was having trouble keeping up with the vampire I was chasing. He wasn't one the regular Level E's I would hunt each day. This time, it was different. This time, I couldn't kill my prey. I needed him alive. Well, the Hunter Association needed him alive. I wiped more blowing shards of ice from my eyes.

To be honest, I couldn't care less about the common vampire I was desperately trying to catch up to. The fact that it was my assignment was the only reason why I was doing this. Apparently, this beast could tell me where to find the damn bloodthirsty pureblood serial killer. I could care less about the pureblood lives he was murdering. Heck, the less the better. However, this was the job assigned to me and I had little space to object. However, the Chairman, did get an earful from me before I left. After Kuran wiped out the Senate, the former association president was found dead and his master plan to stay young was revealed. The Chairman then took over and Yagari became the Headmaster of Cross Academy for the time being.

The memories of what happened only about a year ago suddenly infiltrated my thoughts. On that particular day, I had lost everything all over again. Ichiru…and…

My throat suddenly dried and I could feel the red tint within my eyes glow. I used this newfound anger to my advantage. With my Bloody Rose in hand, I made progress closing the distance between me and the vampire. While trying to keep my footing along the snowy pathway, I lunged forward and caught the back of his clothing. The force and direction we were going in made us both fall forward on top of the blanket of white with a puff. I landed on his back and grabbed his clothes roughly to turn him around.

Pain.

I had little time to react. The moment I turned him around, the shot had been fired. I wouldn't have been worried normally, but this was not a normal gun that the common vampire had shot. The grinning man pushed me off roughly and stood up, clutching a small pistol with a familiar symbol etched on the side that resembled the same mark on my own weapon. It was an anti-vampire gun. I then tried to reach for Bloody Rose, but he kicked it away from my grasp to my disappointment. As I laid on the cold ground cringing in pain at the hole in my chest, I wondered why a common vampire could use a weapon such as that. As far as I knew, vampires could not use anti-vampire weapons. I was an exception and so was...that girl that I once knew. If I ever made it out of this situation, I would have to make sure to tell the Hunter Association about this new discovery. But for now, I was in a bind. I was bleeding and defenseless. The vampire chuckled as I attempted to apply pressure to my wound, hoping I could stop the bleeding. It hurt like hell and he seemed to be enjoying my agony. At this point, I was able to get a better look at the vampire who shot me. He was definitely not a noble vampire or a Level E. Seeming to only be in his early 30's, he wore a long cloak that helped conceal his weapon initially.

"Kaname-sama is doing this world a favor by getting rid of those disgusting creatures that think they should be treated like gods. I will not let you get in the way of his plans. Now common vampires such as I have a chance in this world. Never again will I be on low tier in the vampire society."

With the remaining breath I had left, I replied,

"You speak of removing all of the purebloods, but yet you serve one."

At this, the vampire frowned down at me.

"Kaname-sama is not like the other purebloods. He cares about what happens to us. Once he removes all of the pieces from his game, we will have a monarchy once again as it should have stayed. A disgusting former Level E like yourself would never understand."

A monarchy? That's his plan? The Hunter Association would never allow this. Let alone the Vampire Senate. I needed more information and my consciousness was quickly depleting. I didn't know whether he would kill me in a few seconds or not, but I wanted to know either way. It's not like I had anything left to live for anyway...

I groaned as I felt my eye lids grow ever tiresome. With heavy breaths, I continued.

"The Senate... and the Association...will never allow that.."

"The Senate and the Association will not be around long enough to see it..."

I laid my head back in realization. He was going to remove all of the obstacles and then set up his rule.

"And you will not be around to see it either..."

I was at the brink of unconsciousness when I saw the shimmer of his gun pointing down at me through the falling snowflakes. This was it. I made a promise before to chase someone else, but it looks like I won't be able to keep it. If only I could maybe see her face... one last time...

Darkness consumed me.

.

.

.

.

.

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A light...

.

.

.

Something...warm?

.

.

.

.

"Zero? Wake up. Please..."


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or its characters.**

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 _"Zero? Wake up. Please…"_

* * *

My eyes were still shrouded in darkness but…that voice…

I knew that voice…

Snapping my eyelids open, my instincts took over. My right hand quickly moved to my left side to reach for my weapon. However, I found that something was restraining my wrists and a sharp pain invaded my chest.

My vision finally became clear and I saw cuffs bounding me to the side of the bed I was in and a needle connected to a vein in my arm.

"Aidou, I think you can take those off now." That familiar voice spoke once again.

"No way! Not until he promises not to kill me like he almost did a few moments ago!"

My vision slightly blurred but I fought to lift my eyes to the irritating sound that contrasted the one I heard a few seconds before.

In front of me was the blonde and blue eyed vampire noble that the students from the academy knew as "Idol." I tilted my head in confusion to the broken furniture and overturned items behind him. Now that I was able to get a better look, I also noticed the proclaimed attractive looking noble profusely rubbing the side of his arm.

"You weren't exactly very cooperative when we were patching you up."

Looking to my left, I could no longer ignore the sweet voice that called to me. The same voice that brought on so many happy and painful memories.

I locked eyes with concerned brown eyes fringed with hints of red. She smiled slightly and put her hand on my arm.

"I'm glad you're okay. We really were not sure if you were going to make it. That wound in your chest is only inches away from your heart."

As Aidou uncuffed my wrists, her voice lowered.

"What happened?"

The second my arms were free, I roughly removed myself from her grasp. She frowned at this. How does she expect me to act towards her when she behaves as if nothing has happened between us? This façade was quickly becoming tiresome to me.

I shot her a glare in response and attempted to sit up. That's when I realized how wounded I truly was. My chest felt like it was being squeezed from the inside it and I dare not move and make it worse. Moving my hand over the bandages, I grimaced. A large splotch of red adorned the white cloth.

"I told you I should have frozen him. Then maybe I wouldn't have gotten so much blood on me!"

"Alright Aidou, I'll call you if I need you. Thank you."

Looking at the noble's face, I knew he did not expect to be dismissed so quickly.

"Fine."

Before he could leave, I could hear him whisper something to the woman next to me.

"He needs to leave. Soon."

As the door shut, I heard a small sigh.

"Don't mind him. He's just a little upset."

My eyes wandered around the room, unable to look at her. Just my luck to be found by the girl I had tried to remove from my mind and heart. Fate had always been cruel.

Recognizing my silence, she continued.

"Um, are you hungry? You've been out for a while."

I shook my head.

Heaving another sigh, she said, "Well, I need to go downstairs for a moment. I'll be back soon to check on you. Please, try to get some rest in the meantime."

The chair by my bed was pushed back and the sound of footsteps went towards the door. I was relieved that the intoxicating scent was finally fleeting.

Hearing the footsteps stop short, I continued to keep my head down.

"I'm really glad you're okay, Zero."

I clenched my eyes shut and gripped the bed sheets. With that, the door shut silently.

After releasing the breath I was unknowingly holding, I allowed myself to relax against the pillows. Taking this chance, I surveyed my surroundings. The bedroom I was in was relatively larger than usual. To my left was the chair that was previously occupied, Ahead of me was the door and the disrupted sofas and small tables from when I apparently became difficult. On the right was a towering window with dark curtains. From the small thin space in between them, I could see small white snowflakes move from side to side. My memories suddenly came rushing back. The chase, the fall, the pain. Remembering the words the vampire spoke, I was reminded of the need to contact the association. Unfortunately, I knew that in my current condition, I was going to be stuck here for a while. I needed to find other means of communication somehow.

Deciding to test my limits, I attempted to sit up once more. Carefully, while enduring the pain that shot through my chest, I removed the needle from my arm, tossed the sheets off, and moved my legs to the side of the bed to stand. Before I could do anything else, an overwhelming recognizable smell of blood infiltrated my nostrils. I picked up the small needle and took a whiff. Immediately, I knew whose blood it was. I decided not to think about it. In the back of my mind though, I took notice of the absent blood lust I should have been experiencing at the moment. I felt…satisfied.

My feet touched the floor while I gripped the edge of the night table for support. Finally reaching a standing position, I slowly walked to the window while fingering the bandages on my chest. The pain was still present as I moved. Opening the curtains only a crack, I was able to see the extent of the weather outside. The moon above was blurred by the gray clouds as the snow came down hard. I had no clue where I was. If the ground was not covered in a thick blanket, maybe I could have recognized something familiar. Thinking back, I was able to recall where I was when I was chasing the vampire. I had to be somewhere near.

Leaning against the wall by the window, I rebuked myself for not realizing how close I had been to the secretive Kuran manor. The Hunter Association somehow had lost all records of where it was located after the Rido incident and the vampire nobles were too shaken up after the Senate had been dismantled to care. The fact that a hunter now knew where the location of the mansion was might be a problem.

The creaking door behind me jarred me from my thoughts. I had no idea how long I had been immersed in my own world.

With a steaming hot bowl in her hands, the girl came through the door. My eyes narrowed and became cold once more.

"Oh. You managed to stand."

Not knowing what else to say, she placed the bowl on the night stand.

Continuing to keep my eyes focused on the falling flakes, I heard her continue to speak behind me.

"I brought you some soup. I know you said you weren't hungry but…"

Why was she doing this…

"Oh! I forgot to mention where the bathroom was. It's directly to the left if you open the door. I was going to offer to help you get there when you needed to, but it seems like you can possibly manage that on your own."

Why did she save me and bring me here…

I lowered my head and gripped the window sill.

"A-Are you okay? Are you in pain?" I heard her steps come a little closer.

"I'm fine." I said gruffly.

Why did she care…

Didn't she know we were enemies? Didn't she know I vowed to kill her? She's acting like…like…the same girl I used to know. But she wasn't…was she?

The silence in the room grew along with the tension. I wasn't sure if she could see my inner conflict, but if she did, she was still staying quiet.

"Well, I'm going to go back downstairs. If you need anything, let me know…"

I could hear her hesitate as if she expected me to say something.

"I'll be back again soon." She turned and approached the door.

"Yuki."

Startled to hear her name, she turned back to me.

With my head still lowered in front of the window, I mustered up all of my strength as my mind screamed in opposition.

"Thanks."

I could feel a small smile radiating from her as she stood there content with my unexpected reply.

"You're my guest, Zero. You're welcome."

I was then left alone once again.

And at this point, I was unsure if I was in heaven or hell.

* * *

 **Please Review :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or its characters.**

* * *

 _And at this point, I was unsure if I was in heaven or hell._

* * *

"Zero? Zero. You need to wake up."

A gentle shove on my shoulder stirred me from my peaceful rest. I opened my eyes to look for the source and saw a smile shine down from the girl above me.

"I didn't want to wake you, but you need to come downstairs. I can help you walk."

Brushing off the offer, I replied, "I'm fine. Why do I need to go downstairs?"

As the smile vanished from her face, she sighed.

"Aidou…notified Takuma, Akatsuki, and Ruka that you were here. They arrived yesterday and want to talk to you. Rima and Senri are here too. I'm sorry. I told Aidou that he didn't have to let them know, but he insisted."

"What's there to talk about?"

"They're…apparently a little worried about having a hunter in the house while all of these…things…are going on."

Tch. She didn't have to sugar coat it. I knew I would be kicked out sooner or later.

"Fine."

"Great! I'll go bring you a change of clothes."

"Uh…" I reached out to her, but was a little unsure. I was still uncomfortable talking with her.

"Hm?"

"You said they all arrived yesterday. How long have I been asleep?"

Putting a finger to her chin, she pondered. "You slept for almost a whole day. This is the third day you've been here."

Damn it. I've wasted too much time already. I need to get that information to the association.

She smiled once more then left the room.

Having enough of staying in bed, I sat up and groaned. My wound still felt like a knife currently inhabited it. However, the pain did feel a little less than before. Rising to my feet, I noticed that the bandages on my chest were new. She must have changed them at some point when I was asleep…

My mind trailed off to that smile that she has continuously shown me throughout my stay here.

What reason does she have to smile at me? We are no longer best friends, nor friends. The second we walked off the pile of rubble on that day, we were enemies. She made her choice. A hunter and a pureblood. That's just how things were. That's how it's always been…

Looking at the bed and night stand, I saw the countless scraps of bandages and medical supplies. I was conflicted. I was still puzzled as to why she would still take care of me. My mind and emotions battled for who that girl was and also wasn't. For the time I've been here, she's acted very much the same. However, I kept telling myself that she wasn't her. She wasn't the Yuki I fell in love with. That Yuki was gone. But…

Suddenly, I remembered something.

My eyes frantically searched around the room. Damn it! Where was it?

I opened some of the drawers and rummaged through the contents, but none of them contained what I was searching for.

I jumped slightly as I heard the door close.

"Um…are you looking for something?"

I turned around and saw Yuki holding a pile of clothes.

"My gun. Where is it?"

Walking closer, she looked hesitant.

"Well, you'll have to ask Aidou about that…"

Again with Aidou! Is there anything he hasn't done yet?

Seeing my fists clench, she tried to calm me.

"He was just afraid of having an anti-vampire weapon lying around so he…hid it."

This time I couldn't hold back. I gave her the biggest glare I could at my present state. Whether or not it was just as deadly as the glares I would give when I was healthy, I knew the effect was the same by her reaction.

"I'm sure you can convince him to return it to you."

"I'll make sure of it."

Throwing on another smile, she handed me the stack in her arms. I moved my hands forward to receive them but grabbed her wrists instead. Her eyes widened slightly as she questioned my actions.

"Stop it." I stared down at her and whispered.

"Stop what?"

"Smiling." I grounded out.

We stood there in silence for a few moments before she spoke up.

"Why should I?"

Keeping my hands clenched on hers, I replied.

"Because you remind me too much of someone…who died a year ago."

I removed the clothes from her possession and turned around towards the bed. I heard no sound or movement from her as I silently put on the dark blue button down shirt provided to me. After a few seconds had past, I heard her walk to the door.

"We'll be waiting for you downstairs when you're ready."

I finally breathed out when I heard the door close. Rubbing my face with my hand, I felt a little guilty about what I had just said. But…she isn't Yuki anymore.

Shaking the thoughts from my mind, I focused on putting on the remaining clothes to go downstairs. No matter what those rich, spoiled vampires tell me, I'll be leaving today…with my gun.

After getting fully dressed, I slowly left my room, careful not to reopen my wound, and began to maneuver my way to the first floor. Since I had been unconscious when I was brought here, I had been unable to get a good look at the interior until now. The halls were wide and the ceilings were tall. It had a similar feature to Cross Academy in how it made me feel small due to its vastness. I was reminded again of the life she was born into and had chosen…

As I walked down the hall, I was able to get a full view of the moon from the towering window to my side. It was night again. I had truly slept for a whole day. Committed to my cause, I continued down the hallway and found stairs leading down.

At the end of the staircase, I was greeted with multiple pairs of eyes. Sitting on and around some elegant couches were the young nobles. Yuki averted my gaze as she sat next to the annoyed Aidou.

Takuma Ichijo, the "Sunshine Vampire", approached me. "Zero Kiryu! It's nice to see you in one piece after hearing about the tragic incident that happened!"

I simply nodded.

As I looked around the room, I saw Ruka sitting in an arm chair with Akatsuki standing behind. Senri and Rima were lounging on an elongated couch, seeming uninterested. And like a few moments ago, Yuki still sat next to Aidou on a smaller couch.

My eyes were brought back to Takuma.

"Are you feeling any better, Zero? That bullet was quite close."

Before I could respond, Ruka had interjected.

"Can we just get to the questions? Everyone just wants to get this over with and I'm sure Kiryu doesn't care much for chit chat."

"Uh well, okay. Please have a seat." The blonde haired vampire sat at the end of the couch Aidou and Yuki were sitting on and motioned towards an empty arm chair close by.

"Well, to start off, we're not usually here at the Kuran mansion. However, after what's been going on, we have decided to make routine trips just to make sure everything is alright. This time, Aidou had called upon us, explaining that you have been found shot and bleeding nearby. So, we all agreed to come by and see for ourselves. We're glad you're alright."

"Just cut to the chase, Ichijo." I was growing impatient.

Takuma's face grew serious.

"We want to know what you were doing out there and who you were fighting."

Shifting my eyes to the others, I realized they were all staring back at me, expecting to answer.

"The association sent me to find someone. I tracked him to the trail you found me on."

After a few seconds, a voice spoke up.

"That's it?" Takuma turned to Aidou and silently told him to try to control himself. However, Aidou continued.

"I killed that vampire before he killed you. He had an anti-vampire gun in his hand. There is more to this story that you're not telling us."

Sighing, I braced myself for the amount of questions that would be sure to come after I disclosed everything I knew. In the back of my mind, I wondered if I should really reveal the information I discovered. Were these nobles still obedient to Kuran? Even if I asked, would they tell me the truth? Would they let me leave alive? I would like to think that I could take on six or seven vampires in my current condition, but I couldn't fool myself, especially without a weapon. I needed to find out somehow.

"Do your families know that you come here? Most of them had affiliations with the Senate in some way."

"Are you concerned about our loyalties?" Akatsuki finally decided to join in the conversation.

"I'm a little…tentative."

"You think we're with Kaname, yes?"

"Possibly."

"Before Kaname left…" Looking back towards Aidou, the blue-eyed vampire cleared his throat continued.

"…before we knew what he was going to do, he asked me to do one thing and one thing only. He told me to protect Yuki."

"He told the rest of us as well." Takuma added.

I shifted in my chair and noticed Yuki glance at me quickly before casting her eyes downward again.

"We may not agree or understand what Kaname is doing right now…but we can still look after the one he cares most for. He doesn't come here nor does he ask anything else of us. All we want to know is what happened out there with you and that vampire so we can be aware of anything that might threaten Yuki's safety."

I glared at each vampire to try to find a hint of deception that could have possibly seeped through their expressions. However, I did not find any. Sighing, I thought of how to begin.

"As I said, the association sent me to find someone. That person was the vampire who shot me on the trail closest to this place."

"Did he tell you anything? Who he was working for?" Aidou butt in.

"Let him finish! Geez." Ruka retorted.

"If you were so curious, why didn't you ask him before you killed him, Aidou?" I asked.

I will admit that the look on Aidou's face after realizing his own mistake gave me momentary happiness. His face turned downcast and I had an inkling that he wouldn't be interrupting anymore.

"I uh…should have thought of that."

Before I continued, I caught a glimpse of Yuki trying to restrain a laugh. And for a moment, my heart beat a little faster.

"Fortunately for you, I was able to ask him some questions before I passed out. What he said confirmed the association's suspicions that he was working for Kuran. We hoped to capture him and interrogate him about his whereabouts."

Takuma then looked to Ruka and Akatsuki in confusion.

"Kaname's man? Around here?" Takuma questioned.

"That is a little strange." Akatsuki replied.

"Why would that be strange?"

Ruka looked to me and said, "Because he would never bring any kind of danger around Yuki."

As much as I hated the pureblood, I had to admit that Ruka was right. Even when we were at the academy, he always kept Yuki in a bubble for as long as he could. Going as far as keeping the information about Rido and her past a secret, even when she was having terrifying nightmares and hallucinations.

Akatsuki's voice brought me back to the conversation.

"One thing I don't understand is how the vampire was able to use a hunter weapon."

Takuma rubbed his hands on his face in frustration. "That's also another question. And ultimately, we still don't even know what Kaname is trying to accomplish."

My gaze met Takuma's. He must have seen the glint in my eyes because the "Sunshine Vampire" started to beam a little.

"You know, don't you?"

"Yeah."

I had everyone's full attention now. Even Rima and Shiki seemed slightly more interested. Slightly.

"Kuran wants to establish a monarchy."

"What do you mean?"

"What?"

"How will he do that?"

"Are you sure?"

"Just let him talk, guys!"

Heads turned towards the outburst and were a little surprised at the source.

Shiki shrugged. "I would like to know too, you know?"

When the attention moved back to me, I continued.

"He mentioned something about Kuran getting rid of the senate and the association so he would be free to rule."

"The senate? The senate is gone." Ruka said.

Takuma looked to her. "Well, actually, even though the members of the senate were destroyed, new members will just be appointed. Kaname would have to kill every pureblood and any of their aristocratic supporters for something radical to change."

"It's true." I added.

"In fact, there has been some talk in the vampire community of me taking a seat…"

"Why didn't you tell us before, Takuma?" Ruka asked.

Raising his hands up in defense, Takuma replied. "I'm not even sure if I'm going to accept it! Considering what my grandfather was up to, I was thinking my family should stay away from politics for a while."

Ruka nodded in agreement.

"Well, I've told you all everything. I'll be leaving now." I began to stand up from my chair.

A small voice entered my ear.

"Wh-Where are you going, Zero?"

I didn't want to look at her face. If I did, I knew this would be difficult.

"I need to get to the association and report my findings." As I turned to leave the room, Aidou sprang up.

"Whoa! Whoa! You can't tell the association! They can't know anything about this area. If they find out where this mansion is hidden, Yuki will be in danger!"

"I am leaving, but I won't mention this place. And also," I approached Aidou slowly.

"I believe you have something of mine."

Folding his arms, the shorter vampire returned my glare.

"Alright, if you speak nothing about the mansion's location, I'll give you Bloody Rose back. If you accept Bloody Rose, then you absolutely must leave. I wouldn't feel comfortable knowing you were carrying it around here. I still don't know if you would try to hurt Yuki."

"Deal."

"Wait!"

Looking behind Aidou, Yuki was up on her feet.

"You can't leave yet!"

"Why not?" She can't keep me here. I've already made my decision.

"You're still injured. You won't survive being attacked again out there. Stay here until you're better."

"I can't. The association needs me back. They need to know what's happening. It doesn't matter if I'm hurt. Get my gun, Aidou."

Seeing Aidou leave, I turned my attention back to Yuki and was surprised when she seemed to be on the brink of tears. Why would she cry for me?

"I am thankful for what you have done, but I must go."

"You won't survive. Please, consider it."

"I have no choice."

As Aidou returned, I took my gun from him and a spare coat he had brought. The air during the silence of the exchange was thick as everyone looked between Yuki and me.

After buttoning up the coat, Aidou gave me instructions.

"Go out the back way and take a right when you find the nearest trail. That will take you in the direction of the association."

"Thanks."

I walked out of the room and went toward the back door. Suddenly, someone grabbed me from behind. I didn't have to turn around to know who it was.

"Yuki…"

I've been trying so hard to detach my feelings from this girl clutching to my back. So hard. Why can't I forget her? Why can't she let me remove myself from her life?

"Yuki, let go."

"No!"

I can't stay here. I can't bear to stay here any longer. To see her every day and feel the pain in my heart that hurts more than the one in my chest. Whether she was the ghost of the girl I loved or her in actual form, it still brought too much pain. This mansion, this place, is where I won't survive. Why I looked down at my shoes and continued to listen was beyond me.

"If you leave, I know something will happen to you. Please, stay here."

I didn't have to turn around to know tears were running down her face. I didn't have to feel her fingers digging into my abdomen to know she was desperate to make me stay.

Her fingers loosened up and I suddenly saw her in front of me. Clutching my shirt again, more tears spilled to the floor.

"I'm the one who found you. I found you on the ground, unconscious, barely alive! I…I thought you would die right there on the snow! There was so much blood!"

I remained silent.

"Aidou followed me and after he killed the vampire, I gave you my blood and prayed that you would live!"

I closed my eyes. I didn't want to hear any more.

Her grip on my clothes became stronger.

"I don't want you to die! And I know that if you leave now in your condition, you will!"

Reopening my eyes, I looked down again. I felt my resolve crumbling. She was acting like…the Yuki I once knew. The same Yuki who would cry and worry over me all the time. If I didn't break free and go now, I knew I would be imprisoned here by my own foolish emotions. However, I couldn't move my feet. I couldn't push through this determined, stubborn girl and walk out the door. I cursed at my weakness.

"Stay. Stay and regain your strength! I can send a trusted messenger of mine to the association and give your report. You don't have to go!"

Not being able to avoid her intense gaze anymore, I lifted my head.

Right there, I knew. The second I saw her tear-stained face and reddened cheeks, I knew.

She won.

.

.

After a few moments of staring at one another, she withdrew in defeat, moving out of my path.

I took a step…

…In the opposite direction.

She stared at my retreating back as I said nothing and walked to the room I came from.

Finding Aidou close by, obviously listening in, I reached into my coat.

Raising an eyebrow, his eyes widened after he saw my hand hold out Bloody Rose to him. He stared at me in disbelief and was hesitant. I remained seemingly emotionless. No one could see the brewing storm of my feelings behind the mask I tried so hard to maintain.

When he finally took the gun from me, I shrugged off the coat and gave it to him as well. I felt the same pairs of eyes on my back as I approached the staircase leading back to my room. I heard Yuki return to Aidou's side.

Before walking up, I sealed my fate.

"Send your messenger."

* * *

.

.

 **Please review :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

 **I don't own Vampire Knight or its characters.**

* * *

" _Send your messenger"_

* * *

The second I entered my room, I walked towards the couch. Not to sit on, but to flip over. I grabbed the bottom edge or the soft material and threw it towards the opposite wall. Wood hit wood with a loud 'bang', but I didn't care if anyone heard. I was furious with myself and hated the feelings I succumbed to. I was so close to walking out! _So_ close. I thought I was stronger than this!

Suddenly, I felt it. I touched my chest and when I brought it back up, I noticed some blood. Great. I had reopened my wound. Feeling the pain grow, I moved towards my bed and knelt beside it. Clutching the sheets on the side of the bed frame, I tried to wait out the wave. My teeth clenched as I soon became acquainted again with the pain I originally experienced.

Suddenly, I felt a soothing hand on my back.

"Sit against the bed and I'll reclose your wound."

Having no choice but to comply, I turned around and sat down. Grabbing some materials from the nightstand, she kneeled before me. How was I supposed to be strong when I was pathetically at her mercy? Here, with beads of sweat running down my face, I observed her concentrate on the task of stopping my pain.

"This will hurt a bit, but I promise to be quick."

As she worked with the needle in her hand, I looked towards the couch and felt even more pathetic. I ruin her furniture and she still tries to help me…

Looking back to her, I couldn't stop taking in her features from this distance. I could see the familiar characteristics that I learned to memorize and love. Even though I knew she felt my gaze, she continued her work.

"I would make you pay for my broken couch, but I never really liked it anyway." She laughed lightly and finished tying the thread together.

Giving no response, I got on my feet. I still felt a little ashamed for how she had seen me act. Was I being ungrateful?

"Oh!" Reaching in her pocket, she brought out a folded piece of paper and a pen.

"Can you write your report on this so I can give it to my messenger?"

I grabbed the writing materials and sat on the bed.

"Who exactly is your messenger?"

* * *

THE FOLLOWING MORNING:

"I still don't know why I have to be the one to go!"

A slight tremor moved through the floor as I descended the stairs toward the screeching noise of the only one who could make such a high-pitched sound.

"Because there's no one else who can, Aidou. This really needs to get to the Association." Yuki reasoned as she stood before the blonde haired man aggressively shaking his head.

"Hold on. What about Takuma, Akatsuki, and the others? They're leaving today so why can't they deliver it!?"

Suddenly appearing conveniently in the hallway with their luggage in hand were the ones just mentioned. Putting his suitcase down by his feet, Takuma walked towards Yuki and Aidou while buttoning his coat.

"Well, technically, we're traveling in a different direction from the Association and we don't really have time to make a detour with our families requiring us back home. Although, I think we can at least give you a ride half of the way."

Aidou looked at the other nobles for any kind of support but hung his head in defeat.

"Wait, Yuki." Ruka said. "You'll be here all alone if Aidou is gone."

"That's right! I can't possibly leave you by yourself." Aidou interjected.

"I won't be alone. Zero will be with me." Gesturing behind her where I stood near the staircase, all eyes shifted to me as if they just noticed that I had been there the entire time. Suddenly, I too had realized something.

I'll be alone with Yuki…

Ruka stepped closer to Yuki and whispered, "Lady Yuki, I don't think that's a good idea. He might take this chance to-"

"I'll be fine, Ruka. Thank you for your concern but this report desperately needs to get into the hunters' hands. Aidou is the only one who can go and I'll be fine."

Slightly astonished by Yuki's quick rebuttal, Ruka turned back and picked up her bag.

"Fine. Let's go, Akatsuki." Carrying some of Ruka's bags as well, Akatsuki followed Ruka to the door as Shiki and Rima accompanied.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Takuma asked gently.

"Yes. Thank you for coming here, Takuma. You really didn't have to." Yuki smiled and hugged Takuma goodbye.

"We'll be off then."

Takuma looked to me and nodded.

"Look out for Yuki please."

I nodded in response before he strolled to the door and waited for Aidou.

Before picking up his own things, Aidou was suddenly in front of me.

"If you do anything to Yuki while I'm gone, there will be hell to pay. And it won't only come from me, you know."

I knew who he was talking about, but I wasn't fazed by his threat. Returning his intense stare, I replied.

"You have nothing to worry about."

Satisfied with my answer, he collected his things. However, before making his leave, the blue-eyed noble turned.

"Oh. If anything…else…happens, it's behind the flower painting in the living room."

I tilted my head in confusion.

"Bloody Rose."

And with that, the tall door closed and echoed throughout the mansion as Yuki and I were officially alone.

Unsure of what to say, I felt as if the silence was slowly suffocating me. The girl before me fiddled with her fingers seemingly in the same predicament.

"Well…uh…would you like some breakfast? No one in this house is usually up when the sun is out, but they all needed to leave as soon as possible." Walking to where I guessed the kitchen was, she continued talking while I silently followed.

"Do you still keep the same sleeping schedule?"

Entering the kitchen, it was as big as I expected it to be. It was a combination of an older style with a hint of modernism that seemed to be added with time. Accompanied with shining appliances and countertops, I wondered if anyone had ever attempted to eat off of the floor.

"Sort of."

Within seconds, I could tell she was not familiar with anything in the kitchen. Opening random cabinets and drawers, Yuki was still unsuccessful at finding what she was looking for.

"Where are the bowls…"

"This is your kitchen. Shouldn't you know where your things are?"

Poking her head out from a cabinet, she gave me her well-known annoyed glare.

"You could help me look, you know."

Sighing, I began opening the drawers closest to me.

"I'm not usually in here. Aidou kind of forbade me from the kitchen."

"I don't blame him."

Before she could retort, I held up two bowls.

"There they are!" She grabbed them from me and placed them on the counter. This suddenly felt like the times we were back at the academy, rifling for food because we didn't want try a new breakfast dish the Chairman had cooked up. My thoughts fled when she announced that she had found the spoons.

"Unfortunately, we don't really have much food. It's difficult to go out and buy some since everyone is kind of…wondering where we are. We do have cereal though. This is one of the few times we have milk as well."

Retrieving the cereal and milk, she motioned for me to take a seat. She poured the cereal and continued talking.

"We used to have servants, but they started leaving little by little as things started to get more chaotic."

Picking up my spoon, I was uneasy being with her like this, so my mind started to drift.

It takes some time to get to the Association from here. Not knowing how fast Aidou would be traveling, it could take days for him to return. My wound will be healed eventually as well. How long will I have to stay here with her? How long can I continue to play along that we're still on good terms?

"Zero. Zero!"

Flinching away from her hand in my face, I looked down at my now empty bowl.

"What were you thinking about?"

I grabbed my bowl and stood up. "Nothing."

Before walking towards the sink, a pair of large curtains behind me caught my attention. A thin streak of morning sunlight broke through as I pushed the fabric aside. Moving the curtain a little further, a large glass door was revealed, leading to the patio and back yard of the mansion.

"I think the snow is starting to a melt a little. Maybe you will be able to see the garden from in here. I was told it's pretty big and beautiful, especially when the flowers are in bloom." The voice behind me said.

"You've never seen it?"

"N-Not really. Just from the window sometimes…"

Lowering my eyes, I noticed a thick wooden board across the expanse of the door and my eyebrows knit together in confusion.

"I'm…not really allowed to go outside."

Looking back, I waited for her to continue.

"Actually, I've spent most of my time downstairs, away from the windows. Kaname said it's for my safety." She casted her eyes downward and played with her spoon. I've seen that look enough times before and it struck me to my very core.

She wasn't happy…?

I was confused. All of the time I spent thinking about her after she had left the academy, I had imagined her living a happy, luxurious life with her "prince." I never thought she would be caged up like a bird. On that day, despite the revelation of her being a vampire all along, I let her go with him because I thought…it was for the best. He would give her everything she never had, things I couldn't give. He would be able to protect her from any harm, something I failed at too. But now she seems abandoned. Maybe if I knew…I…

I grabbed the wooden board and lifted it to the side of the door frame.

"Zero? What are you doing?"

Setting my bowl down, I took her arm and pulled her to the door.

"Wait! I'm not supposed to go out!"

Turning my head, I said,

"Kuran isn't here."

The moment I pushed her through the door, Yuki froze as her skin came in contact with the cold, fresh air. She stared down at the flats she had chosen to wear today and seemed to wonder if it was really alright to be outside. However, all tentative thoughts seemed to disappear when she turned back and gave me the biggest smile I have ever seen her give since I've been here.

"Come on, Zero!" Grabbing my hand, she pulled me into the melting snow with her. As she explored the ice covered garden and its furry inhabitants, I watched from a stone bench nearby. The air was slightly chilly, but seeing the joyful look on her face prevented me from wanting to go back inside. Unfazed by the wintry weather, Yuki walked back to me with a gray rabbit in her arms.

"Look what I found, Zero! Isn't he cute? Or she?"

Feeling the sides of my mouth rise slightly, I brushed the rabbit's back with my fingers. Placing the rabbit down, she sat beside me on the bench. My heart sped up at her closeness.

"This weather reminds me of Cross Academy. How are things there?"

"They're fine."

"How about Yori and the Chairman?"

"They're both fine. Yori always asks about you. The Chairman became the temporary President at the Association and my master took his place at the school."

"Wow. Seems like a lot has changed…"

The next inquiry didn't surprise me.

"How about you? How have you been this past year? Are you still a guardian?"

Thinking back to what it was like after she had left, I knew I couldn't tell her the truth. The past year had been one of the worst years of my life. Going through the motions each day, trying to fill up an empty hole that seemed like it could ever be full again. Sinking even lower by finding a new way to control my bloodlust.

"Everything's been fine. I don't do guardianship duties as much as before."

"Oh, why is that?"

"I don't live at the academy anymore. I go to school in the day and work for the Association at night."

Her eyes widened.

"Wh-When do you sleep!?"

Sleep only brought the nightmares…

"I find the time."

A few moments passed of us staring off into the trees. From the corner of my eye, I could see her biting her lip, deep in thought, most likely trying to think of another question. I was about to comment on how hard she was gnawing, but something else caught my attention. Her hand went to her throat and absentmindedly rubbed the base of smooth skin. My eyes reverted back to the scenery in fear of my thirst deciding to appear. However…I haven't been thirsty for a while. Taking another peak at her, she had her head turned away from me. Could it be that _she's_ …thirsty? How has she dealt with her bloodlust since Kuran has been gone? Could Aidou be…? I inwardly shivered.

"So…does the Association still make you hunt Level E's?"

I knew this was just a way for her to continue conversing. It was a stupid question.

"Yes. After Kuran decided to go wipe out some purebloods, I've actually seen more Level E's surprisingly."

"Really?" Turning her body towards me, she continued. "Wouldn't that have the opposite effect? Less purebloods would mean less Level E's, right?"

"You would think so. The Association is investigating the surge."

"That must also be putting more pressure on the Chairman."

"There's something else that doesn't make sense. Recently, the Level E's I've encountered have been…different."

"Different how?" She leaned in.

"I'm not really sure. They're…more focused. Less reckless. They move with more than just lust as it seems. Almost with a goal in mind other than your blood. I don't understand it."

"Hm. That is a bit troubling." She reverted back to her original sitting position and put a finger to her chin.

A cold breeze surrounded me as the morning sun finally started to become irritating to my eyes.

"Zero? Um…how have you been getting blood?"

Damn.

I should have known that would come up.

It's true that I've been able to control my bloodlust ever since becoming one with my brother. Although, a vampire still needed blood… I wasn't sure if I would be able to tell her.

" _I only desired your blood, Yuki."_

Were those words I had spoken circulating through her mind at this moment? Those words that I said to her right before I…

She was still waiting patiently for me to answer, as if she could feel my reluctance. Should I tell her? No, I-I can't. It's…disgusting.

Suddenly, I felt something warm on the top of my hand. Looking down, I saw her hand on mine, encouraging me, saying it was okay.

I removed my hand from hers and abruptly stood. My heart was beating erratically and I felt a tingle in my throat. Looking down at her, dejection was written across her face.

"It doesn't matter." I said.

I walked towards the mansion and left her alone on the bench. As I entered the kitchen, I heard approaching footsteps from behind.

"Why are you being like this!?" She exclaimed as she shut the door. "Why can't you just talk to me?"

I halted at her words and turned slowly.

"No. You can't do that anymore."

"Do what?"

"Pretend that you care. You don't get to ask questions like that." My temper was steadily rising.

"I'm not pretending! Why would you say that?"

"Because you left!"

My fists were clenched and my eyes were fiery. She had no right! She chose to leave! She made her choice!

"…Zer-"

"Stop! I'm not going to keep on this act that everything is okay! You got everything you wanted so don't ask me questions like that!" The glass of the door behind her cracked from my intensity.

She came slightly closer. "That doesn't mean that I have no concern about you!"

"I don't want to hear that! I know that you remember everything about that day. Everything I said to you…"

I waited a moment, not wanting my voice to crack as I suspected it would.

"I…We're not friends anymore, Yuki. We're enemies."

Tears slowly rolled down her face.

"I know."

I cast my head downward, I couldn't look at her.

"Do you…still feel the way you did a year ago?"

A question I didn't expect…

Fingering the material of my shirt, I dared not stray my eyes from the floor. My chest felt tight and my breathing was getting heavier. I put my hand over my face and tried to dispel my muddled thoughts.

"If Aidou doesn't return in two days, I'm leaving."

Turning my body, I walked away.

This time, she didn't follow.

.

.

.

* * *

 **Please Review :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

 **I don't own Vampire Knight or its characters.**

* * *

" _If Aidou doesn't return in two days, I'm leaving."_

* * *

*Sigh*

The moonlight beamed over my head as I adjusted myself under the window sill to be more comfortable against the hard wood of my room.

It's been almost two days. Aidou still had not returned.

I covered my face with my hands and rubbed my eyes. I should have been sleeping right now if I planned to leave the next morning.

" _Stop! I'm not going to keep on this act that everything is okay! You got everything you wanted so don't ask me questions like that!"_

Groaning at the memory, I continued rubbing my eyes, hoping that scene would go away.

" _I…We're not friends anymore, Yuki. We're enemies."_

I stood up from my spot and growled. I didn't want to think about that anymore.

My ears perked as I heard a door from the hallway close. After our last conversation, she spent most of her time in her room. She went downstairs occasionally at night, but never for long and would return to her room shortly after. I felt childish listening to her movements, but when I had stubbornly decided to hole myself up in my room for two days, there wasn't much else to do.

Flopping onto the bed, I stared at the ceiling. Lately, I have been thinking about the recent abnormalities happening during hunts. The increase of Level E's and their change of attitude had me troubled. There were a few possible reasons why more Level E's were appearing. A nest of them could have been destroyed and many could have scattered, they could have started to become more organized, possibly with a pureblood controlling them, something like that. All of those could be logical on some level. However, another theory made the most sense to me.

Someone was making an army.

Either Kuran is making one or the purebloods against him are. Heck, maybe they both are. The behavioral changes in the Level E's was still something I haven't figured out yet.

" _That doesn't mean that I have no concern about you!"_

Ugh! I covered myself with the bed sheet and begged the darkness to clear my head. Sighing once more, a strange question entered my mind.

…Why had I been so upset earlier? I made it seem like it was her fault for leaving…

I let her leave.

I said it was for the best.

I did _nothing_ to stop her.

So why am I angry?

Because… she chose him.

She chose him over me without a second thought. She wasn't conflicted and she never hesitated. It has always been him. Despite knowing that she was probably better off with Kuran, I was still resentful at her decision. Yet, what would I be able to do for her if she stayed? I never deserved her in the first place. I was never the one who she longed for. I'm just a pathetic, disgusting creature. Consuming her blood whenever I had wanted. Why was I surprised that she made her decision to leave? It was just _selfishness_.

And now, she hasn't knocked on my door or spoken to me since…

Moving my hand under the pillow, I felt cool metal at my fingertips and was comforted. I had grabbed Bloody Rose from where Aidou had hidden it before I secluded myself in here. It was silly, the way I seemed to treat it like a child's teddy bear, feeling safe at its touch.

A soft 'thud' from the hallway got my attention. Removing the covers, I sat up and slowly approached the elegantly carved wooden door. I stopped and tried to listen for any more sounds. Curiosity got the best of me and I decided to take a peek into the hall.

It was empty.

Scanning the area for anything suspicious, my eyes landed before my feet where a steaming bowl sat on a small metal tray.

Did she really…?

I picked up the tray for closer inspection. It was a simple soup, similar to the one she made me before.

Wasn't she upset with me?

Closing the door with my foot, I set the tray down on the nightstand. She had done things like this before when we were kids. I had oftentimes made her furious over small and big things, but she always remained caring during those moments. It made me wonder how all of this was any different.

* * *

 _Yuki's POV…_

I won't lie. I really miss having personal chefs and servants. Although, cooking was definitely an adventure.

Looking around the kitchen, I sweat-dropped at the mess I had created. I had managed to barely make one bowl of soup and the area seemed to have already experienced a food fight. Sure, the soup came from a can, but I swear it was harder than it looked!

Wiping my forehead with my dish glove, I continued to wash the pots I had used.

I never really had to cook anything at the academy. The Chairman and Zero were usually the ones most familiar with the kitchen. And when the Chairman had made something…questionable (which was many times), I had always turned to Zero to rescue me from food poisoning. Every time he had made something, I wondered why he was training to be a hunter instead of a culinary chef.

Sighing, I put the clean pot to the side and turned off the water. This evening's conversation seemed to keep replaying in my head.

I understood why he was offended. I had promised to stay by his side…but I…

Removing the gloves, I took a seat at the table.

This past year has been…lonely. All I have done is study and learn to be a suitable pureblood vampire. The expectations and responsibilities were enormous. Kaname had ordered Aidou to tutor me each day almost without fail. I understood that I needed to learn the ways a pureblood behaved and acted, but sometimes I really wished I was still a human. Things seemed a lot easier back then. Now, I'm not sure what will happen next. A part of me trusts that Kaname has a good reason for his actions, the other part wonders sometimes. I wish he would have told me his plans before suddenly leaving.

Kaname and Zero are more similar than they believe. Sometimes I never know what they're thinking.

I sighed again and stared blankly at the wall.

* _Creak_ *

Turning my head, I looked to the darkened living room.

* * *

I rotated the pillow over and over again, totally lost on how I could make the couch I had broken…not look so broken anymore. It was missing a leg and was lopsided once I turned it upright and for some reason, I thought putting the couch pillows back on it would improve its appearance. Frustrated, I haphazardly tossed the soft square-shaped material and gave up. Without tools, I couldn't do much.

Whipping my head to the door, I thought I had heard something. The noises were small, but noticeable.

I knew Yuki was in the house, of course, but I heard multiple sounds in… different places. Could Aidou be back? I thought I would definitely hear him by now.

Moving towards the door, I stopped short and looked to my bed. Listening to the more cautious side of me, I took Bloody Rose from under my pillow and tucked it into the back of my pants.

Entering the hallway, I walked slowly and quietly to the stairs. Before reaching them, I started to hear voices I didn't recognize.

"Just answer us. You don't want this to become difficult now, do you?"

I withdrew my weapon and concealed my energy as I silently descended the staircase, my back hugging the wall.

"There's no one else here. I-I'm alone."

Identifying the quivering voice as Yuki, I gently peered around the corner. Sitting at the kitchen table was Yuki with two tall men in suits surrounding her. The man before her who had her chin forcibly in his hand was bald and muscular, seemingly much more aggressive than his lanky partner. Standing behind Yuki was the skinnier man, keeping her still. He had thick and wavy brown hair.

"Oh come on. Do you really expect us to believe that Kaname Kuran left his fiancée all by herself in this big place?"

As Yuki managed to shake off the man's hand from her face, I was able to get a view of her wrists, which were bound together. How did she get captured so easily? She's a pureblood. These men must be vampires and much stronger than they appear.

"Yes. He…He doesn't care about me anymore. If you think you can get to Kaname through me, it won't work!

"Don't try to fool us, girl." The brown haired man said.

The bald man bent down to Yuki's level and removed the thin sunglasses he was wearing.

"Your fiancée has pissed off some very important people and killed many more. You were very foolish in being this vulnerable, knowing that you're his greatest weakness. The Senate will not let this opportunity slip through their fingers. You'll be very valuable, so don't think you can convince us otherwise."

The man stood upright and put his glasses back on.

"We know you're hiding at least one person here. Don't worry, we already sent out our pet to terminate anyone it finds."

Their pet?

The stair behind me squeaked, but before I could turn around, I felt a sharp pain on my back and was propelled to the wall facing the staircase.

I felt the wall break from the impact as Bloody Rose slipped from my hand. The discomfort in my back ever more present from the collision.

"Ah, I see he found one. Hahaha!"

"Zero!"

Yuki's voice rang in my ears as I tried to decipher what had happened. As the debris cleared, I was in shock. Approaching me was a monstrous creature. It was tall and deformed. Having arms and legs that were equipped with sharp claws that scraped the floor as it walked. This thing might have been human once. However, it's brightly colored red eyes suggested that it was currently a vampire. It was a type of vampire I had never seen before, much more beastly than a Level E. Stepping into the light, I realized that this thing easily topped at around eight feet tall.

Before it could reach me, I quickly grabbed Bloody Rose and aimed. Saliva dripped from its fangs, never hesitating at the sight of my drawn weapon. Not wanting to waste any more time, I squeezed the trigger.

 _*Tick*_

Huh?

 _*Tick, tick, tick*_

Much like a kitchen lighter that wouldn't produce a flame, Bloody Rose had only fizzled and sparked.

No bullet was released from the barrel. I looked up in confusion and saw its claws right before it grabbed my neck and pinned me against the wall.

"Ah, so you have a hunter protecting you! We didn't know Kaname Kuran was working with the hunters. Unfortunately, he won't be around for long. E7!"

The beast turned to the bald man in obedience as I tried to break free.

"Kill him."

"No! Let him go! Please! I'll do anything!"

"Be quiet." The brown haired man wrapped a cloth around Yuki's mouth. "Sir, we should leave now. We have Yuki Kuran."

The bigger man looked to his partner and said, "We can't leave E7 here. Don't worry. This will be quick."

While struggling to create an airway for myself, I saw the unshed tears Yuki was ready to let fall. The mask of a pureblood began to crack before my eyes once again. Come to think of it, she never acted like a pureblood in the first place. Yuki seemed to have kept many of her human attributes. The creature's grip on my throat became tighter as I clenched my teeth in pain, still unable to overpower the beast.

She has always cared for me…

Now, as I look into her teary and desperate eyes, she still does.

And…so do I…

Channeling every fiber of strength in my being, I lifted my legs and tried to get them in between to separate myself. Sweat fell from my brow as I pushed. Its long claws slowly retreated and with one hard motion, I managed to shove the animal away from me.

I took one large breath to regain my energy and dove for my gun that I had dropped twice already. Before reaching it, the beast swiftly made its way to me, claws up and ready to strike. Ducking just in time, I moved behind it. However, the monstrosity also turned and struck me with its forearm and knocked me to the ground.

"E7! Stop messing around! Hurry up!"

Blood dripped from my head as I tried to stand. This creature's strength surpassed ordinary vampires and even nobles. Suddenly, I felt sharp claws penetrate my back. Rolling away swiftly, I picked up an end table and managed to deflect another blow. As I backtracked my way into the kitchen, my wooden defense started to break down with each swipe of the creature's claws. The last piece of wood exploded in my hands. Leaping over the kitchen island, I threw open the drawers to find something sharp. Hearing the beast directly behind me, I took a carving fork and spun around to hopefully thrust it between its eyes. The beast dodged slightly to the side, but I was still able to jab the fork into its chest. However, it seemed to have no effect. With a loud growl, the towering monstrosity ripped the fork from its body and before I knew it, I was being tossed onto the dining room table in the next room. Groaning as I moved the wood off of me, the doorframe crumpled. Emerging from it was my large adversary. It put one hand on my chest to keep me down and the other was raised over its head, ready to make the killing strike. As it came down towards me, I rose my hand and caught its wrist. As we struggled for control, I barely evaded a drop of saliva from the beast's mouth. It snarled at my stubbornness and neared my face, perhaps for intimidation.

Skillfully, I was able to use my weight to throw it off. As I stood over the beast, slightly unsure of what to do. Time slowed down and my thought process picked up speed. There was no way I would be able to win this on strength alone. Even my vampiric strength was no match. I needed Bloody Rose and there was no going around that.

My mind going back to the present, I turned and ran back into the hallway. All of a sudden, I fell to the ground, the creature had grabbed and dug his long claws into my right leg. Taking my other foot, I slammed it into its face and made a dive roll towards my weapon before it could strike me with its other claw. I picked up Bloody Rose once more and prayed that it would work. As the creature approached, I took my stance and looked down the barrel of my gun. My hands shook and I tried to keep it steady. I knew that if I was unable to shoot, I was done for. I would die and Yuki would be in the possession of malevolent vampires.

Please…Let this work…

I squeezed the trigger…

…and…

…I saw the familiar bright purple light beam out.

Staggering back slightly from the immense force, I prepared myself for the worst. However, when the smoke cleared, I saw thousands of particles in the air and a pile of dust on the floor.

I was relieved.

Suddenly, a wave of dizziness and a chilling coldness took over my body. A thin river of blood slid down my arm and I could feel the burning heat behind my eyes, my lust becoming evident.

Turning around towards the kitchen, I stopped dead in my tracks.

The chair was empty and the back door was open.

They left…with Yuki!

Forgetting my uneasiness, I ran to the door and was instantly pelted with snowflakes, the freezing wind wreaking havoc on my open wounds. My thin shirt was offering little protection after it had almost been torn to pieces during the fight. It was true that a vampire could survive extreme cold conditions without becoming ill, it however did not mean that the cold was pleasant. Thankfully, the fresh laid snow had allowed a trail of footsteps to be made. Staggering along, I followed the tracks as quickly as I could, Bloody Rose in hand. I had to find her… I won't let them take her!

The tracks had gone on for quite some time and I wondered just how long I had been fighting that beast. I tried to use my increased smelling and hearing abilities, but in my present state, I was unable to. Dizziness flowed through my body once more and I had to stop to regain my composure.

"You're going to attract more vampires with that trail of blood you're leaving."

Looking up, I saw one of the men I had been looking for. Emerging from behind a wide tree was the bald and muscular Senate agent.

"Where is she?" I growled.

"Don't worry. She's in good hands." Pointing directly behind him, I was able to see Yuki and the other man through the growing snowstorm a few feet ahead. Strangely, the thinner man held his finger across Yuki's throat, as if it was a knife.

"You see, my partner has a unique ability. He can make precision, surgical-like incisions with the swipe of his hand. He can even kill a pureblood. So take one step in her direction, and he'll slit her throat."

A regular vampire killing a pureblood? No…that shouldn't be.

"Come on hunter, if you don't believe me, feel his power for yourself. I know you can, considering that you're also a vampire."

I continued to stare at the Senate scum while I tried to stay conscious.

"I should have known who you were." The muscular man spat. "The infamous vampire hunter that's a vampire. A descending Level E, no less. Disgusting. If I had known earlier, I would have taken care of you myself."

"Maybe you should have. The fight would have been over a lot sooner."

Growling at my response, the man reached into his jacket. Quickly, I aimed at him and was about to fire. All of a sudden, Bloody Rose started to glow red hot. As the heat sky rocketed, I released my weapon. It fell into the snow and steamed.

"Some vampires can control fire or ice, even blood. I, however, can manipulate metal. Your gun is too hot to be used now."

I stood before him, beaten, defenseless, and lustful for blood. What would I do now? I was about to drop down unconscious at any minute. The man put his hand into his suit jacket again and took out a few triangular shurikens. I took a few steps back and tried to scrap up a plan…any plan! As he slowly came towards me, the shurikens started to glow red. This was bad.

Getting into position, he threw one in my direction. I quickly dove behind a nearby tree, evading the attack. The shuriken penetrated another tree instead, and I thought I was safe, momentarily. Unfortunately, the throwing star burned through the wood and flew back to its owner. He can retrieve his shurikens with ease…damn.

Suddenly, I saw something glow a few feet in front of me through the storm. My eyes widened when that object shot towards me. I ducked quickly and fell painfully onto my shoulder. Looking back, I saw a piece of metal fencing spear the tree I was previously taking cover behind.

"My resources are unlimited. There's no use fighting."

Hearing his deep voice behind me, I was almost starting to believe he was right.

"If you let me end this quickly, I'll try to make it as painless as possible. Let's finish this, hunter."

I stood to my feet. If I was going to die, I was going to die honorably. However, I was still planning on fighting until I couldn't any more. The man grinned at me.

All of the shurikens in his possession began to glow while I took my stance and channeled all of my remaining power.

He was about to release them all…

Here I am. I'm ready.

He raised his arm…

…when an explosion propelled wind and snow in every direction!

I found myself on the ground the next moment.

"S-Stay back!" I heard.

Turning around, I saw my opponent fumble with his weapons seconds before literally disintegrating in front of me.

Through the blustery façade, a figure emerged. I was dumbfounded, confused, and just way too spent to reason with anything anymore. Yuki came towards me. With wide eyes and a frightened appearance, she helped me slowly stand.

"Did…did you…do that?" I muttered.

Biting her lip, she said, "Y-Yeah. I'm not really sure how, but I did. I…I killed those men."

I wanted to ask more questions, however, they would have to wait. My survival instincts were in control.

"We need to get back inside. I don't know who else might come for you now." With Yuki's help, we made our way back to the mansion as quickly as possible. Knowing that I was leaving a blood trail, we were in danger of luring unwanted visitors. Finally reaching the back door of the Kuran house, my vision started to blur and I felt as if I was swaying.

"Zero! You need blood!"

"No! Don't worry about me. Finding somewhere safe is our main priority. More agents from the Senate might come, or even worse, more of those…creatures."

I leaned on the kitchen table while Yuki closed the back doors and returned the wooden slab to its place.

"Oh!" Yuki exclaimed. "I know where we can hide!"

* * *

As the wall behind the bookshelf slid to the side, revealing a secret entrance, I coughed from all of the puffed up dust.

"Sorry. No one has been in here for many years."

"What is this?" I asked, trying to peer through the darkness. We began to walk through the newly discovered hallway, avoiding cobwebs. Yuki lit a match from the matchbox she found in the kitchen and closed the door behind us.

"Down those stairs," she pointed, "is another bottom floor, designed to keep a pureblood family away from any danger. The walls are insulated with a special material, able to keep the aura of a vampire sealed within. No one would ever know we're down here.

We descended the staircase with caution. Yuki kept me at her side, assisting me.

"Was…this ever used?"

She casted her eyes downward.

"Yes…when my parents died."

I was puzzled. It was said that the Kurans had taken their own lives, or at least, that is what the vampire and hunter communities thought. My bodily wounds and pains began to cause even more discomfort. A new wave of bloodlust ran over me.

We reached the specialized room. Yuki left my side momentarily to light the different lanterns and candles spread out throughout the space.

"Hopefully these should be enough. This is unfortunately the only source of li-Zero!" At the sight of my heavily breathing form on my knees, she knew what I desperately needed. After helping me onto a nearby old couch, I knew I wasn't going to be able to refuse anymore. The pain from my injuries and my bloodlust was too much. I was going to cave soon.

She took my face in her hands and stared meaningfully into my burning red eyes. My ability to breathe became more difficult.

"I know how much you're telling yourself that you can't do this, Zero, that you can't drink my blood. But Zero, you need to. You need to." Placing her neck directly in front of my growing fangs was all it took.

I could no longer hold back.

* * *

 **Please review :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

 **I don't own Vampire Knight or its characters.**

* * *

" _I know how much you're telling yourself that you can't do this, Zero, that you can't drink my blood. But Zero, you need to. You need to." Placing her neck directly in front of my growing fangs was all it took._

 _I could no longer hold back._

* * *

I removed my fangs from her delicate neck. Her blood dripped down my chin and stained my already blood-soaked clothes. In my arms, Yuki lay slightly unconscious, eyelids barely remaining open. I didn't know how much blood I had taken from her, but I knew that it was much more than I had intended.

Her blood…

Its taste….held what I have tasted before…and…something else that I could not place. Staring down at the girl, I was still bewildered. Yuki, why do you still do these things? Moving her hair away from her face, I couldn't help but feel guilty as I always did when I drank her blood. Feeling a soft touch on my hand, I realized that she was awake.

"Zero…Are you feeling better?" She fought to keep her eyes open as she looked up at me.

"Yeah. I'm sorry, I took too much. You should rest." I stood and placed her down fully on the old-sewn pillows. Seeing a blanket draped over the back of the couch, I covered her body with it. With all of my wounds mostly healed, now was the time to examine the room. I grabbed a lit candlestick with its holder and started my exploration.

Beside the couch where I had laid Yuki was an arrangement of a few more elegant couches with a coffee table adorned in the middle. On the closest wall, embellished statues, artifacts, and expensive looking ornaments lined across attached wooden shelves. Moving further, I encountered an extremely large picture frame. With my candle, I lifted it and saw the royal pureblood family themselves. Inside a lavish gold frame with dark red curtains on the sides, were a man, a woman, and two children sitting on their laps. The man had short dark brown hair and auburn colored eyes. The woman next to him was the spitting image of Yuki, only older. They were Haruka and Juri Kuran. As for the children, I assumed the baby girl was Yuki and the slightly older toddler next to her was Kaname. I took a step back and viewed the entire painting.

The Kuran family.

However, something caught my eye. The curtain surrounding the painting seemed to be overlapping part of the picture. Finding a cord, I pulled on it to reveal a figure beside Haruka Kuran. Lifting my candle once more, a pair of different colored eyes stared back at me.

Rido Kuran…

Flashbacks entered my mind, remembering me of the day I had killed him. I also recalled the disgusting things I heard him say to Yuki. Good riddance.

Below the tall painting, sat a smaller picture on the shelf. It was of a young baby boy. Taking the frame into my hand, I assumed it to be Kaname. Although, I felt as if there were more to it. Something was odd.

"That was my brother."

Slightly startled, I turned to see Yuki sitting up.

"Was?" I replied.

I could see her body become rigid in the dimly lit room. I had hit a spot that might have been too tender for me to know about. Nevertheless, she had put on a brave face and began her explanation.

"Kaname isn't exactly… my brother."

I wrinkled my brows and let her continue.

Exhaling deeply, she said, "In truth, he's a very old ancestor of the Kuran family."

I composed myself before I could drop the candle. Come to think of it, Kaname had said something before about that.

 _I would have been happier…if I was born as her real brother…_

Yeah, that's what he said…It was when I discovered that Kaname had turned Yuki into a vampire…I was too angry at the time to even care what he was saying, easily forgetting our exchange of words.

I heard her speak again.

"My Uncle Rido had…" She stopped midway and held back tears. I slowly made my way to the couch and sat down on the other side, giving her my full attention.

"Rido had…killed my brother in order to revive Kaname."

"Why?" I asked.

Wiping her face with her sleeve, she said, "He wanted to devour Kaname to become much more powerful. Fortunately, he wasn't able to do so. However, he appeared years later, wanting to take me."

She let out a shaky breath and wiped her eyes again. I had the urge to reach out and comfort her, but something was holding me back.

"He…he found us. I hid here, in this very room, while my father and Kaname tried to stop Rido. He was severely weakened… but not before he was able to kill my father. At some point during that time, my mother had made the decision to turn me into a human…so she sacrificed herself." Her tears were falling freely now.

My eyes softened. She sounded like a broken child as she recalled the traumatizing experience she had to endure at such a young age. Images from my own horror story crept into my head…Seeing my mother and father struck down before my very eyes… Since then, purebloods had always been the enemy.

"When I became a human, my memories had been erased. That is when I received the memory of the vampire in the snowstorm and Kaname rescuing me. Kaname allowed me to stay unaware of my past for as long as possible. When my hallucinations and nightmares became too much, he had no choice. He turned me back and I regained my memories. Then, not too long after, Rido appeared again and…you know the rest."

As she finished, with red eyes, she looked to the family portrait hanging on the wall. Pain and anguish were evident on her face as she contemplated her family's numerous tragedies.

Rising from my seat, I approached the painting and took the curtain's cord and pulled, covering Rido's figure as it was before. I knew it was a small gesture, but I knew she approved when she gave me a small tearful smile.

"You will loathe the fact that future memories with your parents will be nonexistent. However, never forget the good memories you had with them before and the sacrifice they made for you to keep on living. It doesn't relieve the pain entirely, but it does help."

She smiled forlornly at my words, silently acknowledging that I had similar tragic circumstances.

"Thanks, Zero."

For a few moments, we stayed silent, both of us reminiscing the past. It then occurred to me.

Maybe…maybe we needed each other.

When I arrived to the Chairman's residence for the first time, I felt scared, alone, and had no concern for my life anymore. To me, it was over at that point. I had lost everything, I had no hope.

But when I saw you for the first time…

…something inside me…told me to keep on living. The days were no longer as bleak, birds chirped louder, and the darkest corners of my heart became a little brighter.

And so, I fought the blood thirsty monster within me for as long as I could.

But what about you, Yuki? Did you ever need me?

Like really _need_ me?

No… You needed _him_ more…

You would run to him every chance you had, seek him out profusely, and desire for his attention. At times, you would ask me if he would approve of a dress or object. Was I only validation for what he would be pleased by? Was that my only purpose?

Suddenly, my fist, which I didn't know I was clenching, was being held by soft hands.

"Zero? Are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Great. Let's find some clean clothes."

* * *

 **LATER**

Yuki was able to find us new clothes in a spare bedroom. Thankfully, she also found a bathroom. Vampires don't need to eat human food to survive, but we did have to do other things whether we liked it or not….

I now wore a black dress shirt accompanied with black dress pants. The clothing material felt much too expensive for my liking and I felt awkward in them. However, I had little choice. Yuki unfortunately only found a dark purple dress. Despite the numerous candles generating heat around the room, it was still chilly. Yuki resorted to wrapping herself up in a blanket to fend off the cold.

Sitting side by side on the couch, the dimly lighted room caused us to start drifting slowly to sleep. Looking to the clock on the shelf, a few hours had only passed since we had decided to confine ourselves. We had not spoken that much during that time. Yuki asked the occasional question about school or something trivial, mostly just trying to fill in the gaps of silence. I was content with the quiet.

"Why don't you go to sleep, Zero?" Yuki asked as she scooted closer, trying to capture the most heat as possible.

"I can't sleep knowing our enemies might be outside." I replied, ignoring the sensation.

She smiled sleepily, "You always were protective, Zero."

"I'm just being careful."

I wouldn't have typically let her be so close, but secretly, I was a little cold too. At least, that's what I told myself.

"Zero?"

"Yeah?"

"What…was that thing? That…monster."

"I…don't really know." It was true. I had never seen such a creature before. It had strength and stamina that surpassed a vampire's. And yet, it was a bloodthirsty beast like me…a vampire. Its unforgettable red eyes gave that indication. Along with its bright orbs, its claws and half human half beast features will haunt me for some time.

"It was horrible. I really thought it was going to kill you, Zero." Yuki clutched my arm.

"I did too."

"How did you defeat it?"

The scene replayed in my head. "I shot it with Bloody Rose."

"But wasn't something wrong with your gun?"

"Yeah…" I thought back to the purple light that fizzled at the end of the barrel the first time I had tried to shoot it.

"Could Bloody Rose be broken or defective?"

"I've never had a problem with it until now. I think it's unlikely." My weapon has always been reliable. The only reason I could think of why it acted up was… No… Could it?

The parent? I wasn't sure. The furnace has been going for thousands of years. It was just a thought.

Yuki spoke. "Those men from the Senate that brought the beast…"

"They wanted to use you as bait."

"Yeah…"

"The Senate will try again, Yuki."

"Probably."

We sighed simultaneously and continued to keep warm. A question then entered my mind.

"What you did to those men…obliterate them…why did you wait so long to free yourself? Why didn't you fight from the beginning?"

Adjusting the blanket to cover part of me as well, she replied.

"I didn't choose to wait that long. In truth, I…don't exactly know how to use my powers…"

"You…you don't?"

She shook her head and solemnly stared at the burning candle on the coffee table in front of us.

"No one has really taught me. I've tried to experiment on my own a little, but Kaname insisted that I focus on my studies with Aidou instead. What I did outside…was completely new to me."

It struck me as odd. Yuki had always been stubborn enough to do as she pleased whether she was allowed to do it or not. I've never seen her so chained up as I have since coming here.

"What ever happened to the Yuki that did what she wanted to do? No matter what others said…"

She sat up slightly and looked up at me. I continued.

"You told that big guy that Kuran doesn't care about you anymore. Was that just something you said to make him leave you alone, or do you truly believe that?" I was diving into territory I myself wasn't sure I should delve into. However, I wanted to know.

Seeming a little stunned by my question, Yuki looked away.

"I said that so he wouldn't see any value in taking me…but…" Her tiny fists gripped the seat cushions. "I just… wonder sometimes… why he left. Why didn't he tell me anything? Why didn't he take me with him? Just… Why? I know sometimes I can be a burden. Kaname has emphasized and tried to teach me the ways of a pureblood over and over… and I know I mess it up sometimes."

She turned to me.

"Maybe if I was better… Maybe if I tried a little harder! Then maybe he wouldn't always keep me in the dark! I don't want to be a heavy weight or obligation anymore. I want him to see me as his equal!"

I could see liquid start to well up in her eyes. I could tell this has been frustrating her. Although to me, it was all pure nonsense…

Yuki didn't need to change.

She was already perfect.

I took one of her hands and unwrapped them from the cushion's fabric. In one motion, I brought her to myself and enclosed my arms around her.

"You don't need to become better. You don't need to know all of vampire history. You don't need to have the best etiquette amongst all the purebloods. You just need to be Yuki."

Her head laid against my shoulder as I felt her tears dampen my shirt. As much as it pained me to say the next words, I knew they were true. I tightened my grip on her.

"Kuran…still cares for you, Yuki. I don't know all of the reasons for why he's doing what he's doing, but I know that he didn't abandon you. He's… looked after you since the start."

"Zero…"

"He's… right for you, Yuki."

"Zero, what are you saying?" She tried to break out of my embrace to look at me, but I didn't let her. I couldn't stop my feelings from overflowing this time. I needed to let this out, once and for all.

"I've been selfish… I've been crying for the moon."

"What do you mean?"

"I've been desiring something that I would never be able to obtain. You, Yuki."

She was silent.

My body became rigid, threatening to spill over my emotions like a burst dam. I closed my eyes and tried to regain my composure. My body was slightly shaking and I was sure she could feel it.

"I never had a chance."

"What?"

"From the very beginning, before I even came into the picture, before I even knew you, I had no chance. I had already lost." I reopened my eyes with a new sense of clarity. I felt as if I had finally accepted what I had known all along. Releasing her from my hold, I stared into her orbs. "There was no battle. You were always _his._ "

She still remained silent, seemingly letting me continue.

"I was so angry the day you left with him, but then I realized that you were better off. Someone like me… never deserved you."

"Stop it, Zero." Her voiced quivered while she gripped my shirt.

"Time after time you were in danger… he would be the one to save you. From a young age, I knew I would never measure up."

"Zero don't say those things!"

"But it's true!" I stood up as my body grew tense. "I can't protect you like you ought to be protected, Yuki!"

"Zero, you've always protected me. Don't you remember what just happened a few hours ago?"

"I haven't always been there like I should have… Do you remember the day when you wanted to get a glimpse of the high school buildings at Cross Academy for the first time? It was when you were about to start as a freshman and I had skipped a year. You wanted me to go along with you to see them, but I declined."

"Yeah, I remember. I told you to wait by the front gate then. I believe the Night Class was having a photo shoot too that day. What does this have to do with anything?"

"After a while, I became nervous because you never showed up at the gate as promised. So I went looking for you. That day, a vampire had disguised himself as a photographer to lure young girls to him. He tried to lure you, Yuki. However, Kuran had killed the vampire right at the rooftop entrance door, where you were waiting."

Yuki's eyes widened slightly in realization, finally connecting the pieces as to why the photographer never showed up after promising to take her pictures.

"I was useless. I wasn't strong enough… Kuran had asked me if I intended to protect you for the rest of my life. I said yes, but he pointed out that I wasn't entering high school and that I wouldn't be able to do so. He then asked me to step up to where he was standing. Meaning that if I wanted to protect you, I would need to stand in the same position as him… and I couldn't… He left me there on the staircase….and joined you on the roof."

Yuki hung on my every word.

"Don't you see now, Yuki? I….I…I'm sorry I was angry with you earlier. I have a better understanding of where I stand now. I won't blame you for leaving anymore."

"No, Zero!" Yuki got on her feet and grabbed the front of my shirt. "Don't ever say that you're undeserving!" Her brown eyes beamed determination into mine. "You've done so much for me, Zero."

I took her hands off of my chest and backed away. "You don't know what I've done, Yuki. I'm a disgusting, useless creature. The things I've…" As I fought the lump in my throat, Yuki approached me once again.

"Tell me."

"I…can't."

She took my hand and led me back to the couch.

With her soothing voice, she urged me on. "Please, Zero. Tell me."

Rubbing my face with my hands, I didn't know how to begin. The bloody images replayed within my mind, reminding me of the repulsive being that I was.

"I…"

Yuki turned fully to me and touched my arm for encouragement.

"…I… still don't use blood tablets. I get blood…somewhere else."

"From where?"

How could I tell her? Why was I telling her? She would never look at me the same way ever again. My mind screamed not to tell her. It was too shameful. My heart beat loudly in my ears as I tried to form words.

"I get them from…Level E's that I hunt…"

I dared not look at her. I didn't want to see her face full of disgust and terror. Burying my face in the darkness of my palms, I wished the couch could consume me right then and there. I was so ashamed of my acts every time I went out for a hunt. My hunger and thirst were so intense, I barely recognized what type of creature I was draining of its life force in the moment. The first time I had done it, I didn't take on a hunting request for days after, afraid that I would lower myself to such a state again if I did. However, I didn't know what else to do. The blood tablets were not enough for me and I really didn't want to go to school and immerse myself with hundreds of students who had endless amounts of blood pumping through their veins. I had to make a choice… A choice I was not proud of.

I still had not heard a reaction from Yuki yet and I was scared to look.

"I… didn't want to hurt anyone else. I moved out on my own to distance myself from anyone I could potentially kill if my hunger got too great. I'm an animal, Yuki. It's better if I'm locked away."

Suddenly, I felt cool fingers on my cheek, forcing me to look up. I was surprised when I saw her lips slightly titled upwards.

"You, Zero, are none of those things." She scooted closer to me as I was about to refute, although, she stopped me.

"You're selfless, courageous, and strong. All of the things you've done for me…I know it's because you wanted me to be happy. You've always wanted me to be happy, Zero, even if it meant you were not."

She ran her hand down the side of my face as she continued, never straying from my gaze.

"Do you remember when I got sick one time when I was little? You sat outside of my room for hours into the night. You think I didn't notice, but I did. You have always been there for me. You've protected me with your life against Level E's, vampires, and Uncle Rido. Do you remember that day?"

I nodded.

"You had saved all of us that day. Even when I turned into the one thing you hated most, you still chose to fight beside me. Your strong will was something I always admired. Your parents were killed right before your eyes, and yet, you fought against that nightmare every day. Frankly, I was envious of you for how much control you seemed to have of how your past affected you. In truth, it's everyone else who doesn't deserve you, Zero."

I stared down at our hands that somehow became conjoined. I wasn't sure how to process everything I had just heard.

"Do you still want to know the answer?" I asked.

"What answer?"

"The answer to the question you asked earlier." I looked up as her expression indicated.

" _Do you…still feel the way you did a year ago?"_

She nodded, her eyes starting to water as she probably already expected what I would say.

I squeezed her hands and smiled.

.

.

"I do."

* * *

 **A/N: The story that Zero referred to, the one with the vampire photographer, is canon. You will find the story in one of VK's light novels entitled The Noir Trap.**

 **Please review :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

 **I don't own Vampire Knight or its characters.**

* * *

" _Do you…still feel the way you did a year ago?"_

 _She nodded, her eyes starting to water as she probably already expected what I would say._

 _I squeezed her hands and smiled._

 _._

 _._

" _I do."_

* * *

I was confused.

Her head was low and away.

I waited for her to say something, anything, but nothing came. The moment her hands went to cover her face, I knew…

The tears that were falling from her face were not joyful ones…

"Z-Zero…"

I did it again.

I fooled myself again.

But this time, it was definite.

She tried to wipe her tears and compose herself.

I felt weak. I finally admitted my feelings and…

The words she was saying…I thought she…that maybe…

Sensing my distress, Yuki attempted to grab my hand, however, I pulled away. I had no words to say. I was disappointed in myself. I was…

Numb. Any sense of hope was shred to pieces. I never really expected her to return my feelings, but I also never expected her to reject them either.

My walls were going up, my doors were closing, my reservations were taking root again. The truth was beginning to permanently settle within me. This is how it was. This is how it's always been. There is no changing it. That's why her blood…tasted the same.

"Zero…" a quivering voice broke through. She put her hand over my arm and I didn't have the strength to fight back. Her mouth opened to say something, as if unsure. The shining liquid in her eyes danced in the candlelight.

"I-I…I wish you didn't, Zero."

I remained motionless as my hair covered most of the hurt evident on my face. I wanted to leave. I didn't need to hear anything more. I already knew why.

"Please, just stop." I whispered.

Her expression and grip on my shirt sleeve tightened. The next words she wanted to say seemed to be giving her trouble as she fought her tears back enough to speak.

"You deserve someone, Zero, who can give you their…entire heart." The force on my shirt sleeve's fabric would cause a tear any second. It didn't matter what she had to say. It wouldn't change anything.

"My…duty to Kaname…I… I can't. I can't."

"Then you do feel something." I lifted my head. She was taken back somewhat and stared at me for a while before lowering her eyes.

"Some days, when I was stuck doing work Aido would give me, my mind would wander. I would think about the academy, Yori, and you… I would wonder what you'd be doing at that exact moment. I would wonder if you were doing okay without my blood, if you were taking care of yourself. Sometimes I'd take out a piece of paper and write things I'd want to say to you. Sometimes I'd wish that things were different, that I wasn't a pureblood and you weren't a hunter… I promised Kaname that I would be by his side… and… that's what I have to do…" She labored through the last words.

My heart pounded against my chest, as if begging me to disagree. I didn't listen. It was the final truth that I had to accept. If I don't, I'm not sure how long I can hold on…

I slowly got to my feet and walked a few steps away. Why was fate so cruel? Is this why I had ended up here? To hear this? ….Who am I kidding?… Fate was never on my side. It was time to let go… Turning to her fully, I let go of the hope I carried for so long.

"You're right… Everything you've said… you're right. Do what makes you happy, Yuki. That's all I've ever wanted for you."

More tears fell as she said, "I'm… I'm not hap-"

Suddenly, a creak was heard from upstairs. Yuki and I both froze. Another sound came from above so I put my ear to the door. Yuki was soon behind me, curious and on edge as I was.

A loud scratching noise echoed from behind the door.

"Someone's coming!" I whispered loudly. On instinct, I put my hand where my gun would usually be and cursed. I had lost it during the fight. Quickly, I went to the shelf, grabbed a random picture frame, and broke off a long piece of the glass. I stood by the door ready and realized that Yuki had grabbed the candlestick holder and came next to me. We might have looked silly at this point, but this was desperation. We were both defenseless and unprepared. Nevertheless, I was trained to use anything as a weapon, in any situation. What would we have to face this time? More of the Senate? More of those 'monsters`? I was unsure if I could face them again this soon...

I readied myself as I heard descending footsteps and voices of two or three at least. No matter what would transpire, I knew that I would fight to the death if I had to.

The footsteps stopped right before the door. I tightened my grip on the glass, while creating small cuts on my palm, and took my stance.

* * *

"Are you sure you're leading us in the right direction?" the ash brown-haired man asked while attempting to steer the horse drawn cart.

"Of course I am. I think I would know where the Kuran Mansion is. I have been living there for a while now." The blue-eyed, blonde-haired man replied as he attempted to block the morning sunlight from his eyes.

"Well, you better not be leading us into a trap."

"I'm not! You're the ones who dragged me out here at the crack of dawn to help you find Zero after giving you his report."

The man next to the ash brown-haired man adjusted his glasses and spoke up.

"We just want to make sure Zero is okay, Aido. You mentioned that he got injured pretty badly. Plus, we had to relieve Kaito's worries, right?" The Chairman nudged Kaito's side as the irritated man adjusted the reins and scoffed.

"Whatever. Why do I have to sit in the back anyway? There's plenty of room up in the front for three people. This cart isn't really all that comfortable back here." Aido said as he dug his nails into the side of the wooden cart for stability.

"Well, unfortunately White Lilly isn't too enthusiastic about having so many people near her…"

Aido looked to the intimidating white demon leading the cart onward in terror and immediately regretted asking as the creature from hell looked back at him.

"…especially vampires." The Chairman specified. Aido swallowed nervously and decided to leave it at that.

"…You do know that Zero is a…?"

"Yes, Zero is the exception, of course. It was actually quite amusing. When I went to get White Lilly from the stables, she didn't want to come with me until I mentioned that we were going to find Zero. After that, she basically tied herself to the cart on her own! She demanded to be in front as well, leading the other two horses." The veteran hunter chuckled.

"I didn't know Zero had a girlfriend." Aido sneered, causing the Chairman to cackle even louder.

Suddenly, the cart halted to a stop, jolting everyone forward.

"Hey! What did you do that for?" Aido exclaimed.

"It wasn't me! It was Lilly." Kaito replied.

"We must be close. The trail ends so we better walk from here." The Chairman jumped off the cart and took Lilly by the reins to lead her and the other two horses along.

"It's this way." Aido jumped off as well and directed them towards the house.

After walking for some time through the forest, Kaito said,

"How much farther is it? It's a mansion, right? Why don't I see it?"

"If it was easy to see, it wouldn't be much of a safe place for purebloods. Anyways, we're here." As Aido turned, a wide clearing revealed a large Victorian style home in the distance.

"Whoa." Kaito said with as much enthusiasm as his gruff personality could muster.

The castle-like small fortress seemed magical covered in a thick sheet of snow. The three men approached the building with horses in tow.

"I really wish I could pin point how long ago this place was built. The architecture seems to be from the mid eighteen hundreds, but I'm sure it was gradually updated to that. It has to be older than the academy. Do you happen to know, Aido?" The Chairman asked as he trudged through the snow.

"I don't. It's older than me. I remember coming here a few times when my father had business with the Kuran family. It seemed even bigger to me back then."

"Interesting. Oh, I can't wait to see my precious daughter so much like a princess in her marvelous castle! I even made sure to bring my camera!" The older man radiated.

"Just don't break anything." Aido retorted.

"No promises! I haven't seen Yu…"

"What?" Aido paused and turned to see why the Chairman had stopped.

The young noble rose an eyebrow as the older man became fixated on a tree and approached it. "Do you see something?" he asked.

The Chairman put his hand on the bark of the tree and ran his fingers across it.

"There are multiple thin holes through this tree. Were they here before, Aido?"

Not sure where the Chairman was going with this, he replied, "Uhh, I don't think so."

"Hm. The holes seemed to be burnt through. Very odd." The Chairman adjusted his glasses and continued walking toward the mansion.

"I guess so." Aido replied. What was he? A tree expert? How the heck would he know?

In thought, Aido suddenly ran into the backs of Kaito and the Chairman.

"Why did you stop?" Following their gazes, Aido saw a piece of metal protruding out from another tree.

"Wha…What? Is that a piece of the fence?" The young man exclaimed.

"I think it's time to leave the horses here while we examine the rest of the area. Right, Kaito?" The Chairman asked.

"Kaien."

Turning to where Kaito had called, the two men almost could not believe what they were seeing. In Kaito's palm was the only indication they needed to know that something was very wrong.

Bloody Rose.

Aido stood rooted to his spot, eyes wide, as the Chairman ran to inspect the weapon. Kaito let a brief glimpse of emotion spread across his face as he let the older man take the gun from him.

"There's some dried blood around the edges…"

Aido looked to the mansion, "Y-Yuki…" and ran towards it, pleading and hoping that everything was okay.

"Aido, wait!" He heard the Chairman say, but didn't stop. He had to see. Yuki had to be okay. She had to be. He wasn't just worried for his sake, for what Kaname would do to him, but also for Yuki's sake. Over the last couple of months, he had truly become good friends with her and cared deeply for her, even if he didn't like to admit it. They got on each other's nerves often, being cooped up in the house, but he felt close to her nonetheless.

 _Please be okay._

Throwing the back doors open with might, he screamed,

"Yuki!"

Immediately after stepping into the house, Aido halted. The kitchen…the kitchen was destroyed. Blood was everywhere. The walls were desecrated. The light haired man's breathing became labored and he feared the worst.

As Kaito and the Chairman caught up, they stood by the doorway as well, observing the damage.

Touching Aido's shoulder slightly, Kaien spoke up.

"C'mon, we have to find them."

It spooked Aido a little at how calm the Chairman seemed to be handling this. Headmaster Cross was no longer with them. Vampire hunter Cross was here now.

As they quietly stepped over the pieces of broken glass, stone, and wood, they moved throughout the house.

"I smell blood everywhere." Aido whispered.

"We don't know whose it is yet." Kaito mentioned.

"Stop." The Chairman said suddenly, holding Kaito back from taking another footstep and motioned to the floor. Before their feet was a large pile of dust.

"Is that…?"

"Yes."

.

.

"We'll split up. Search through the house."

* * *

MOMENTS LATER

"Did you find anything?" The chairman asked Aido. The blonde shook his head solemnly as he descended what remained of the stairs.

"There are no bodies or any other piles of vampire dust like the one we just saw." Kaito emerged from the large hole that led to the dining room. Kaito continued,

"The only things I can think of is that Zero and Yuki escaped, were taken, or…"

"We don't know that for sure!" Aido exclaimed.

"I'm sure they're alive, too. Zero is with her. We have searched the entire house, Aido. We should expand our search." The Chairman replied and made his way to the door with Kaito.

For a few seconds, Aido never moved.

They were alive. He was sure of it.

As the young noble took one step forward, a thought struck him.

"Wait!"

The two vampire hunters stopped and turned around.

"We have one more place to look."

* * *

Aido pushed the heavy wooden door aside as the other two trailed behind him.

"Where are we?" Kaito asked.

"A study room." Aido said as he quickly started feeling and touching the walls.

The two vampire hunters looked to each other and joined the seemingly crazy boy in his search.

"I think I know what you're getting at, Aido." The Chairman said while pushing a sofa away from the wall. Moving on to looking behind the bookshelves, Aido replied,

"I should have remembered earlier about the secret level below the mansion that's specifically for purebloods to hide during trouble. There has to be an opening here somewhere. I know it's in this room."

The three men searched for the concealed entrance for some time until Aido found a slight depression in the wall.

"Hey, I think I found it!"

With the help of Kaito and the Chairman, Aido pushed the rectangular portion of the wall away. Covering his mouth and nose from the blown up dust, the young vampire started to descend the ancient staircase and towards the second door below.

"Aido, maybe Kaito or I should take the lead. We don't know what's down there." The veteran hunter suggested.

"It's alright. I can handle whatever is behind that door."

Wielding their weapons, the Chairman his sword and Kaito a black pistol, the two hunters obliged and continued down.

Just before opening the rusted entrance that led to the lower level, Aido checked to see if everyone was ready. Receiving nods, he put his fingers on the handle and twisted.

Revealed behind the door was a candlelit living room area. Aido moved in slowly.

"Yuk-AHHHH!"

A crack was heard and the Chairman and Kaito suddenly saw the young vampire pinned to the ground with his throat about to be cut by a quick acting figure. In less than a second, Kaito had his pistol behind the adversary's head.

"No don't!"

Looking behind them, a girl with long brown hair stood behind the door with a slender candlestick holder in her hands. Peering upward above her head were three ice shards stuck in the wall.

"Yuki!" The Chairman cried out, crushing the slim girl to himself, causing her to drop her 'weapon'. Kaito turned back to Aido, who was still on the floor.

Turning around to face his fellow hunter, Zero revealed himself. Kaito lowered his gun. As the two locked eyes, the silver haired boy chuckled and scoffed.

"I see you hesitated. Not a very good thing for a hunter to do."

"Would you have liked that I killed you instead?" Kaito retorted as Zero stood and touched his cheek, wiping off blood.

"Aido almost beat you to it."

"Hey! You attacked _me_! I had to defend myself." Aido said as he got to his feet and pointed to the ice shards still attached to the wall. Zero recalled what had happened a few moments ago. The second he saw someone come through the door, he lunged and put his glass makeshift knife to his enemy's jugular. In the process, Aido had shot out three sharp pieces of ice from his hand and barely missed Zero's head, grazing the side of his face.

"You're lucky to be alive, honestly." The blue-eyed aristocrat bragged, causing Zero and Kaito to roll their eyes.

"Uhh you can let go of me now, Headmaster." Yuki was desperately gasping for breath as her adopted father mercilessly had her in his arms

"Don't worry, father is here!"

* * *

Sorry for the much shorter chapter. I didn't want to mix this content with the heavier dialog coming up next. As always, please review :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 **I don't own Vampire Knight or its characters.**

* * *

" _Don't worry, father is here!"_

* * *

"Are you sure you don't need any help?"

"No. I can make it to the couch on my own." Zero swatted the Chairman away as he tried to assist him.

"You were shot and attacked all in a span of a few days. I just worry, Zero."

"Did you forget that I'm a vampire? We don't heal like humans. You know that." Zero said as he took a seat on the soft cushions in the living room. Kaito, Yuki, Aido, and the Chairman followed him in and sat down as well. Yuki took the spot next to Aido, which Zero noticed. Before he could stare too long, a gray object was presented in front of him. Looking up, the long haired hunter held out his weapon, Bloody Rose.

"Found her outside all alone. I thought she needed to be returned to her rightful owner." The Chairman smiled. Zero took the gun and set it close by, not willing to lose it again.

"So, I know it's been rough and I know you're both tired," the Chairman said softly, "but we need you both to explain what happened here so we can know what exactly we're dealing with."

"I…" Yuki started, "I'm not sure I entirely know myself."

"It's alright. Just do the best you can, Yuki."

Yuki looked to Zero for some sort of support, but was disappointed to see him looking away. He was obviously still thinking about what they just talked about, a part she was definitely not going to include to the Chairman.

"Well, two people from the Senate came, with something…"

The Chairman furrowed his brows.

"It…wasn't human. It couldn't be. Its eyes were like…a vampire's."

"Was that the dust we found in the hallway?" Aido asked.

Yuki nodded with a frown, recalling the fight between the creature and Zero.

"It had long claws and walked on its hind legs. It looked like a hybrid of some sort." Yuki added.

"It had more strength than an average aristocrat vampire."

Yuki felt relieved that Zero was finally contributing.

"Oh!" Yuki exclaimed. "They called it E7."

"E7?" The Chairman pondered.

"Bloody Rose."

"Hm?"

Everyone looked to Zero.

Looking up, he said, "Something was wrong with Bloody Rose. She fizzled out the first time I tried to use her."

"May I see the gun?"

Zero picked up the weapon and handed it to the Chairman. He looked over it carefully, examining each section.

"So it happened to you too." He said.

Zero narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

Sighing, the veteran hunter took off his glasses and cleaned them as he spoke.

"Other hunters are experiencing the same problem. Initially, I thought there was an error in how we were assembling the weapons lately, but hunters with older weapons, guns, knives, and swords that were made hundreds of years ago, just started to slowly have the same issues too. It's everyone. Those with guns need to pull the trigger more than once for it to fire, and those with swords say they need to use more force for the blade to penetrate. Issues such as those are what we're struggling with. Unfortunately, we're a bit vulnerable right now."

"Have you experienced any difficulties with your sword, Chairman?" Aido inquired.

"I haven't had the opportunity to use my weapon on a vampire recently, but if I do, I'll keep all this in mind. That's why I sent out an alert to every hunter in the association about what's going on and to be aware."

"Chairman."

"Yes, Zero?"

"Do you think it's the parent?"

Sighing once again, the Chairman shrugged his shoulders.

"I really don't know. The furnace has been burning for thousands of years and it has never went out. At this moment, it doesn't look any different. The fire is still burning and I did give orders to be notified if something changes. No one really knows what the furnace would look like if it was dying. It's not ordinary. We've been very limited in our research of it. The very first hunters created it along with the help of a pureblood who was willing to give up their heart to be the fuel. There is little documentation still intact that has survived over the centuries. I know you and Kaito have heard this all before."

"Chairman?"

The man turned and saw his sweet daughter looking at him.

"Have you…um…heard anything…about.."

"No, Yuki. I'm sorry. There's no new information about Kaname." The Chairman sympathized, noting the posture change in Zero.

"The Senate came for you to get to Kaname, yes?" Chairman Cross asked softly.

Yuki nodded solemnly.

"Well, I'm so glad you both are safe."

"So what should we do now? If we stay here, the Senate might come back!" Aido exclaimed.

"Yes, I was thinking about that. I do believe all of us must leave soon and head back to the association. You and Yuki can stay there until something is figured out. However, I propose we leave tomorrow morning. If we leave now, the darkness will catch us before we can arrive. At this moment, I think it would be best to avoid as many vampires as possible, especially you, Yuki. For Zero and Kaito, I would like you both to leave just before the sun rises. It would be smart to have you two scout the road ahead of us. For the rest of today and tonight, we'll take shifts being on guard. No one will sneak up on us this evening. Is that okay with everyone? Any objections?"

Without a word from the group, the Chairman clapped his hands and stood up.

"Okay! I say we all try to get some rest today. We can talk about more things later if you'd like. Oh but before that, we need to put the horses safely in the back and then barricade the doors."

"We can do that." Kaito motioned to Zero and he nodded in return.

"Great. Come on you two," the older man looked to Yuki and Aido, "let's go into the kitchen and try to straighten things up a little. Yuki, you must tell me what my precious daughter has been up to all this time!"

Before leaving the room, Yuki quickly glanced at Zero. Kaito caught the exchange and raised an eyebrow at his fellow coworker.

"Something happened, didn't it?"

Standing, Zero said, "Let's go, we have work to do."

Kaito chuckled and stood as well. As they moved into the hallway, Zero found his coat underneath a pile of debris and cleaned it off as much as he could.

"Oh come on. You were stuck in this place for days with the Kuran princess. Don't tell me nothing happened."

Shooting a glare at his friend, Zero put on his coat and began walking to the front door. "It's none of your business, anyway."

"Hm. You guys had a fight or something then."

"Just let it go, Kaito. Now, where did you leave the horses?"

"Follow me." He said as he opened the door and released the frigid air.

* * *

 **Zero's POV -**

As I took my first steps into the snow, my mind went back to the fight last night.

" _You see, my partner has a unique ability. He can make precise, surgical-like incisions with the swipe of his hand. He can even kill a pureblood. So take one step in her direction, and he'll slit her throat."_

Those words rang through my head.

" _He can even kill a pureblood."_

Normal vampires can't do that. No vampire can wipe out a pureblood with that much ease.

But… I did.

However, I'm not a normal vampire…

" _I should have known who you were. The infamous vampire hunter that's a vampire. A descending Level E, no less. Disgusting. If I had known earlier, I would have taken care of you myself."_

That's all I really am…

.

.

.

" _You, Zero, are none of those things."_

I sighed.

" _You deserve someone, Zero, who can give you their…entire heart."_

But how will I do that, Yuki? How would I ever love someone else…

"So? You're still not going to say anything?"

"Hm?" I almost forgot that I was following Kaito through the snow.

"You've been pretty quiet with the expression of a kid who lost their puppy."

"I told you to leave it alone, Kaito. Stop asking me."

Kaito stopped walking. I turned back towards him.

"She rejected you, didn't she?"

I turned away. I didn't want to deal with this right now.

"Why do you care? It doesn't matter anyway." I said softly.

"It matters because throughout this whole damn year, you've been miserable!"

With a deep breath, I turned back around. "You don't know anything."

"After she left the academy, you shut everyone out more than ever before. You didn't talk, you isolated yourself in that apartment whenever you could, you took any Level E case you could get your hands on. We were afraid that one day you were going to be reckless."

I stayed silent.

"When I heard you were here with her, I thought that maybe you wouldn't be so damn sad anymore. But now, you're almost exactly the same, maybe even worse. So tell me, what the hell happened?"

It seemed like there was no way getting around this. I exhaled for what seemed to be the hundredth time.

"You were right. She…" Looking up to the sky, I chuckled. "I can't believe I expected her to feel the same way. Kuran is the one she... For a moment, it seemed like I forgot that."

How could I ever be with someone like her, anyway? How much time do I even have left? How much longer 'til I lose my sanity?

"Creatures like me don't receive happiness."

Kaito frowned.

"Zero, even though you're a vampire now, there must be some part of you that's still human. Don't forget that."

It was unlikely. The things I've done…no human would do. Is there any humanity left in me?

Suddenly, a rumbling sound was heard in the distance, becoming slightly louder as it approached. Kaito and I drew our weapons. I squinted my eyes and tried to see through the trees towards the noise. It was something…white?

"What is that?" I said. It was closing the distance between us quickly. I squinted my eyes again.

A…horse?

Li…Lilly?

"Kaito?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot to say that we brought White Lilly along with us." He said while putting his pistol away.

The ground beneath me began shaking. Lilly was galloping towards me while dragging two other horses and a wooden cart helplessly behind. I was a deer in the headlights. I knew she wouldn't hit me. Well…

I was correct. A few feet before reaching me, she made a hard stop, blowing snow all over us. I brushed off the snow and spit some out of my mouth before I felt a hard shove and pulling on my hair.

"Lilly, stop that! I'm going to go bald." I said while pushing her head away from me. "I'm glad to see you too." I received a snort in response.

"Well Zero, if nothing else works out, there's always White Lilly." The brown haired man laughed.

"Shut up, Kaito."

Taking Lilly by the reigns, I led her towards the back of the mansion, noting the look of exhaustion and regret on the faces of the other two horses for allowing themselves to be tied up to this white demon.

"So how has school been? What class are you teaching now, 'student teacher'?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"School was let out already. Master declared an early holiday break and let everyone go home."

"Why?"

"Things are getting a bit chaotic at the association. They needed his help to keep order."

"What's happening at headquarters?" Approaching the back of the mansion, I found a sturdy tree with long branches for shelter and tied the reigns to it. Not hearing an answer from Kaito, I turned back towards him.

"Well, I'm not sure if I'm supposed to tell you since Cross didn't say anything about it."

"What is it?"

I could see Kaito's breath hang in the cold air, seeming resistant to tell me.

"Cross is giving a hundred or so vampires and aristocrats sanctuary at the association and the town. He's feeding and housing all of them."

"What?! Why?" I could feel my fists clench and my blood pressure rise.

"He's offering them protection from Kaname Kuran and the Senate."

"No. No, that's idiotic!" I growled and immediately walked to the back door of the mansion. I knew this man was a pacifist but…no way! He's gone too far now.

"Zero, hold up!" I heard Kaito call from behind me. I didn't care. I wanted to get to the bottom of this.

Swinging the back doors open with force, I scanned the kitchen and found the Chairman sitting at the broken kitchen table with Aido and Yuki, all slightly wide eyed at my entrance.

I went towards the Chairman, roughly picked him up by his collar, and pushed him up an adjacent wall.

"Whoa what are you doing, Kiryu?" "Zero!?" I heard Aido and Yuki say as the Chairman made no move to resist.

"Have you lost your damn mind!?" I shouted.

Receiving a confused expression from the temporary Hunter Association president, I growled and pushed against him even harder.

"How could you let those monsters live inside our city!? Where hunters live? Where humans live!? Have you gone mad with your ideas of coexistence!?"

The older man's expression relaxed. His eyes went to the exhausted ash-brown haired man standing behind me in the doorway and understood. My own eyes were burning and I knew that they had turned crimson red due to my anger. The Chairman wasn't fazed.

"Is that true? Are vampires living inside the Association?" Aido asked.

"Not necessarily. We put them in houses located on an outer section."

"We're supposed to kill vampires, not take care of them! Now they're all living next door to us! How did you ever get the hunters and the elders to agree to this?"

The Chairman tugged at his collar slightly, trying to loosen my grip. I then felt a small weight on my shoulder. Yuki had appeared next to me.

"Please, Zero."

As usual, her big brown eyes always seemed to cause my resolve to dissipate. Slowly, I released my hold. The temporary Association president, and quite literally _my_ _boss_ , coughed and cleared his throat after removing the weight from his chest.

"Zero, I understand why you're upset. I really do."

I was still fuming. And in some way, I was also starting to feel betrayed.

"Not too long ago, Isaya Shoto payed me a visit."

"Isaya? The pureblood Isaya?" Yuki wondered.

"Yes. He came to me with concerns about some of his surrounding community's safety. Many vampires in that area are starting to feel uneasy about the Senate's and Kaname's actions. There has been an upswing of vampire on vampire violence and the residents of the nearby communities have become paranoid. They have no more faith in their local government, so they pleaded with Isaya to help find a solution."

"That isn't our problem." I responded.

"Zero, these people were desperate to get their families away from danger. The fact that they would turn to the Association already speaks volumes. They don't feel as if they have a choice anymore. Siding with the organization built to kill their own kind shows that much. I went to the elders and proposed an idea. I told them of Isaya's dilemma and suggested that we offer them a place to stay outside of the main headquarters."

"And they went for this? What if this is a trap set by Kuran or the Senate?"

"At first, the elders did not agree at all. I added that our guests would have twenty-hour surveillance placed on them, they would be restricted from leaving their assigned residence, and lastly, they each must agree to a rigorous interview to see if they have any involvement with anyone of interest. To the Association, the work would be coming to them instead of having to search for it."

Crossing my arms, I expressed my displeasure.

"I still don't like it."

"Zero, when all of this war and chaos is over, when the Association has to help rebuild this broken vampire society, it would be nice to have the help of a notable pureblood and his supporters to regain structure…and maybe peace. I'm thinking about the long-term as well."

Unfolding my arms, I accepted defeat.

"One last question. How exactly are you feeding them?"

"Blood tablets and regular human food. Nothing more, nothing less."

I breathed out deeply. The Chairman and his crazy ideas… This wasn't going to end well.

"That was very kind of you, Headmaster. I'm sure those families are very grateful." Yuki added.

"I still can't believe you got the big brass of the Association to say yes. I know you're the president, but from what I hear, they're a pretty stubborn bunch." Aido said from his seat at the table.

"Stubborn, yes, unless you know which buttons to press!" The Chairman exclaimed proudly.

Deeming the atmosphere safe enough from Zero's wrath, Kaito fully emerged into the kitchen. "Not everyone is happy with the decision. There's a petition already going around for your removal."

"Well, they're allowed to petition. I'm willing to make the sacrifice. Oh, Zero? I want to go over some things with you about the report you sent us. Would that be all right?"

I nodded.

"Good! Yuki, can you, Kaito, and Aido scrounge up some food? If not, then maybe some ingredients and I can make something for all of you!"

Yuki's eyes widened to the size of softballs and immediately ran to the cabinet and said, "No, no! We have food! We…have to…have food…please…Aido help me!"

As Aido and Kaito were helping Yuki's search, the Chairman tapped me on the shoulder and motioned me to follow. He led me into a study and closed the door.

"Headmaster…I'm sorry for the way I reacted…it was hasty."

Smiling and shaking his head, the older man gestured for me to sit.

"It's all water under the bridge. Don't worry about it, my dear son."

With all of my strength, I determined that one outburst was enough for one day and disregarded the "son" comment as I took my seat on a couch.

"So, Zero, I don't really want to speak about your report. I brought you in here for another reason. I have some confidential information that I believe you should know about."

"What information?"

Dragging a chair to sit in front of me, the Chairman proceeded to speak. With a huge sigh, he said,

"The furnace _is_ dying. We don't know how or why, but we know that it is. There is no other explanation."

I leaned forward in curiosity. "But you said you didn-"

"I know. I couldn't speak the truth in there."

"Because of…Yuki and Aido…?"

"Yes. Don't get me wrong, I trust my daughter, but she's in a lot of danger already. She doesn't need to learn anything that might propel her into even more. And for Aido…well, I'm not entirely sure where his loyalties lie. He was very devoted to Kaname before, I don't know where he stands now."

"What about Kaito?"

"Kaito knows about everything I'm about to tell you."

"Alright. So how do we fix the furnace?"

"That I'm not completely sure of. What I said about not knowing much of its function is true. The only solution we can verify is the sacrificing of a pureblood's heart."

I stared straight at the man sitting in front of me. It was obvious, wasn't it?

"I know who you're thinking about… Unless Kaname volunteers himself, which I don't think he would at this point, we're incapable of taking him down to retrieve his heart. He's too powerful and we don't have as many resources from the furnace anymore. I'm afraid that the furnace picked a very unfortunate time to dim."

"What about Isaya?"

"Isaya just awoke from a long slumber and seems very interested in the present world. I don't think he'll be willing and I'm not in favor of making him."

A sudden thought entered my mind.

"Could…a non-pureblood sacrifice their heart?"

"'I'm…not sure. The reason why we believe a pureblood's heart is capable of withstanding the furnace's fire for centuries is its power to regenerate and heal so well. Without more research, we're unable to tell."

"Hm."

"Another thing I wanted to bring up. The creature that attacked you, I think I may know where it came from. A few weeks ago, we sent out a group of hunters to clear what we believed to be a Level E nest. There had been so many reports of Level E activity in that area that we thought there just had to be a nest of them."

"I'm guessing it wasn't a nest."

"Not exactly. The abandoned building where we expected the nest to be contained other things. Our men found vials, flasks, surgical instruments, and…human bodies. We didn't find a nest, we found a lab. Whoever was working there took pretty much anything that would be useful to us. Other than just those things, we found nothing else."

"So why do you think that creature and the lab are related?"

"The bodies we found. They appeared to be modified in the same way as you described the monster you fought. It's as if they experimented with humans first before vampires."

"And now you know who's behind all that."

"Yes. For a while I believed this to be an isolated incident, an anomaly. But now I see the Senate has been at work for much longer than I thought and I don't think they'll be stopping this any time soon. Another reason why we have to fix the furnace as soon as possible."

"I did have something I wanted to mention to you, Headmaster."

"Yes, by all means." He said while adjusting himself on the chair to a more comfortable position.

"One of the men from the Senate who attacked us…I don't know if it's true or not… but his partner said he could kill a pureblood in one swipe of his finger. I don't know of any vampire who can do that. Not in one move. They seemed pretty confident in this ability as well so I don't think they were bluffing."

The Chairman rubbed his chin in thought. "Very interesting. I suppose considering the lab we found, anything could be possible at this point. We've had scientists inspecting the lab since its discovery. When we return to the Association, I'll see if they've found anything."

Anxiousness. As I rubbed my hands together, that's what I felt. We're fighting the unknown… with no weapons.

"One more thing, Zero. This is actually about your report. I wasn't sure if I should bring it up because I'm not quite certain about this. It's just a theory."

"It can't be any more surprising than it already is."

"It might just be. The man who shot you, you say he was a vampire, yes?"

I nodded.

"And he carried a vampire hunter weapon?"

"Yes."

"Okay, now think of the only vampires you know of who can carry hunter weapons without being shocked."

"Well, I can…and so can Yuki."

"Exactly! And what do you and Yuki have in common other than being vampires?"

Furrowing my brows, I thought it over. Yuki and I went to the same school, we used to be prefects…

"Think bigger picture!" The Chairman interrupted.

Both of our families were killed by a pureblood. We both used to be human…We…

We used to be human!

Looking up urgently, I suddenly understood what Kuran had been doing.

"Kuran is turning humans into vampires to carry out his work. And because of their human past, they can hold hunter weapons without the consequence of the shock!"

Placing his hands on his cheeks, the temporary president put on a wide grin. "My son is so smart! Just like his father."

"Don't start with that, old man. So am I right?"

"I believe so. That was my conclusion as well. By turning them into vampires, he also has control over them by being their master. He can tell them to do anything and they'll do it."

"The increase of Level E's…" I thought out loud.

"Yes, that would definitely explain the spike in Level E's we've seen."

Kuran and the Senate have been very busy…

"I hope you understand now, Zero, why the Association cannot turn a blind eye and refuse to become involved in this. If humans are being used to further the Senate's and Kaname's own goals, then we have the responsibility to stop them. This isn't just about vampires anymore."

I hated to admit it, but he was correct. This has become something much bigger.

"You're right. The longer we wait, the more humans will be affected."

"We'll figure out a step by step strategy when we get back to the Association. As I said before, let's just focus on getting some rest right now."

As I stood up to leave, the Chairman called out.

"Oh, Zero wait. How have you and Yuki been getting along?"

I stared back at the man, inwardly despising him. He already knew the answer the moment he found us here.

"Never better." I sarcastically replied before walking out of the room.

As I entered back into the kitchen, I saw Yuki and Aido preparing some toast. I suppose they were able to find some bread. My eyes met Yuki's once again. If we were having a silent conversation, I couldn't figure out what she was saying. Her expression was unreadable. Hearing the back door close, our connection was broken by Kaito's appearance.

"Hey. Extra clothes." My colleague shoved a duffel bag into my stomach. "You smell like a pureblood." Holding my tongue, I left to change.

* * *

 **Yuki's POV -**

As Zero walked out, I returned my focus to spreading some jelly on the toast we made from the few slices of bread we were able to scavenge.

"So, other than being attacked and stuff, how was everything while I was gone?" Aido said while sorting the other slices.

"It was fine."

"Really? Because things don't seem fine." AIdo whispered. Stopping my work, I turned to my friend next to me, asking for clarification.

"You know, between you and Kiryu." He gestured to the hallway where Zero exited to. He continued saying,

"I know you guys didn't talk much before I left, but now there's something different. What happened? Did he do something to you?"

"No. Nothing happened, Aido." I replied impatiently. Sighing, I went back to my task. As I went to grab the butter knife, my vision went blurry and I swayed slightly. Seeing this, Aido grabbed my arm so I could regain my balance.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah. I just feel a bit dizzy, that's all." Grabbing the counter for support, I attempted to fix the toast again.

"I don't think you're okay. When's the last time you had your blood tablets?"

"I um- I ran out."

"You ran out!? When did you run out?"

"A little after the time you left I think." Putting my hands to my face, I tried to push back a wave of fatigue that had suddenly hit me.

"Yuki, you still had a lot of tablets before I left. You really ate that many so fast?"

"I had to. My thirst was too much." I muffled from my palms.

Scratching his head, Aido looked around frantically. "Well, come on. Let's go sit down and you can take from my wrist." He took my arms and tried to guide me to the living room.

"No Aido, I'm fine. I've already fought it back for a while now."

"That's the problem. We're going to sit on the sofa now." As we entered the hallway, we bumped into Kaito and the Chairman. Just great.

"What's going on?" My adoptive father asked.

Pushing slightly for me to sit, Aido answered, "Yuki needs blood badly."

"Oh my poor baby!" the Headmaster exclaimed while nearing me.

Aido took a seat next to me and rolled up his sleeve. "Alright Yuki."

"No! I'm not taking blood from you, Aido. I said I'm fine."

"You're not fine, Yuki! You're clutching at your throat right now!"

Looking down, I realized that I unconsciously was. I wasn't sure how I was going to get out of this.

A voice suddenly spoke.

"I'll do it."

As Kaito and the Headmaster moved away, Zero appeared before me. My throat began to burn even hotter. I winced and scratched at my esophagus.

Aido sat dumbfounded.

"I owe her."

* * *

 **Please review :) ;-;**


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9**

 **I do not own Vampire Knight or its characters.**

* * *

" _I'll do it."_

" _I owe her."_

* * *

What's he doing? I looked up into his amethyst colored eyes. He was serious. Seeing that I expressed no immediate objection, Aido got up from his seat and walked out with a huff.

Guessing by the awkward tension, Kaito and the Chairman also decided to leave Zero and me alone. He sat on the couch and proceeded to lift his sleeve. I touched my neck again as the fiery sensation was still present.

"Here." Zero brought his wrist up and offered it to me. My mind was reeling. I was confused. I thought he hated me…

"W-Why?" I asked.

"Because you need it and you'll just be a burden if you're craving blood."

"Oh…"

"And…you've given me blood twice already since I've been here. So..." Raising his arm up to me again, I hesitantly placed my fingers around his wrist. My eyes burned brighter. I could smell his blood through his skin and I couldn't wait any longer. Zero's face was emotionless as I inserted my fangs.

The feeling was incredible. Like finding an oasis in a desert, my thirst was quickly dissipating. However, the rate of blood flow was not fast enough for my liking and I started to become frustrated. I clenched his arm harder, but was still not satisfied. Having already tasted the sweet blood, my body was frantic to have more.

Releasing my hold on his arm, I swiftly placed my hands on his shirt and pulled Zero towards me. He looked at me with uncertainty and I could only sputter an apology.

"I-I'm sorry I…I need…" My hands shook as I tried to explain. I _needed_ more of his blood or I felt as if I was going to die. I must have looked hysterical, but my body had never reacted to blood like this before and now I was in a frenzy to stop this aching deep within myself. Fingering the collar to his shirt, Zero took the hint and nodded in response. He loosened his top buttons and pulled his collar aside.

I couldn't think anymore. With only one objective, I gripped his shoulders and quickly sunk my fangs into his neck. Zero's body became rigid as my own was finally able to find relief. Placing my arms more solidly around him, my mind began to calm.

Lights fluttered throughout my field of vision, but my eyes were closed. Different colors came into view.

What were these?

Shapes took form.

These…these were images….inside Zero's mind.

I was on a roof, looking down at two figures. My gun was drawn. My gun? No, this is what Zero has seen. Those two figures, it's me and Kaname. I remember, this is when all of my memories returned.

" _Stop Zero! He is my...my brother!"_

Hands were shaking.

Heart beating at a rapid pace.

Chest radiating with excruciating pain.

 _Fear._

 _Anger._

 _Sadness._

Where were these feelings coming from? Were these Zero's emotions?

The scene changed.

I see stairs. I'm running up stairs. My pulse is quickened once again.

" _Where is she? Where is she? Where could she have gone?"_ I hear in my head over and over again.

 _Worry_ and _anxiety_.

I halted when my feet touched sand. Sand?

No, ashes. And within the ashes was a camera.

This must be the story Zero had told me about earlier…about the vampire photographer.

Looking up, I saw him. Kaname. Clothed in shadows, I could only make out his outline from the light that emanated from the adjacent window.

 _Inferiority._

 _Uselessness._

 _Defeat._

" _Do you intend to protect Yuki for the rest of your life?"_

" _Yeah..."_

" _And yet this year, you don't intend to enter high school? If that's the case, how can you protect her? Always running away from your problems, you do not have the necessary qualifications to protect Yuki."_

 _Stabbing pain._

 _Fists clenched._

He smiled and said,

" _Are you not willing? If so, then why don't you step up here?"_

I tried to move my feet, but couldn't. I was rooted to my spot.

He left.

The sun had set and I was now immersed in darkness.

 _Unworthiness._

My vision was skewed again.

There were piles of rocks and debris. Looking down, I saw myself pressed against Zero.

" _The Yuki I know…is she inside you?"_

 _Exhaustion._

 _Nervousness._

 _Apprehension._

I remember this. The day I left the academy…

" _She is…although she might melt into the other and disappear completely."_

 _Agony._

"… _I realized…that I desired no one's blood but oniisama's…"_

 _._

 _._

 _Dread._

 _._

 _._

No!

I give a hard push and find myself sitting on the couch again. Zero was still beside me, applying pressure to the wound I had made.

"Did you have enough?"

My breathing was hard and labored. Zero seemed to be oblivious to what I had seen.

"Y-Yes."

Getting up, Zero turned to leave.

"You should probably find blood tablets from now on."

"Wait!" I cried out.

He turned back around, waiting for what I had to say. I was speechless however. What would I even tell him? I peeked inside your thoughts and felt your feelings? No...I couldn't.

"It's nothing. Thank you."

As he retreated to the kitchen, I sat transfixed in my own thoughts about the images I had seen in Zero's head.

I'm sorry, Zero.

.

.

* * *

 **Zero's POV –**

Walking into the kitchen, passing Aido, I held the bite mark to halt the bleeding. The aristocrat gave me a death stare as I made my way to the sink to wash off the blood from my neck and wrist.

"What do you need, Aido?" I asked with my back turned.

"Nothing. I'm just wondering what happened between you and Yuki during the time you were alone."

I sighed. Why do people keep asking? Is it that obvious?

"I actually have a question for you instead. Something important." I said as I faced Aido. "How much do you know about the furnace?"

"The furnace? Probably as much as you do. Why?"

"You don't know exactly how it works?" I asked, ignoring his own question.

Aido crossed his arms and said, "Hey! My specialties are in biochemistry and molecular biology. I help make blood tablets and do research on some other topics I'm interested in. I never studied the furnace so it's obvious that I don't know anything."

"Well, then where could I find information about it?"

Touching his chin, Aido contemplated.

"I suppose maybe Lord Kaname's personal library may have something."

"Good. And where is his library?"

Narrowing his eyes, he replies, "I don't think letting you invade Lord Kaname's private space would be-"

"It's important."

"Yeah, you said that already."

After staring at each other for a few seconds, Aido threw his hand up in defeat.

"Oh, alright! His library is upstairs at the end of the hall to the right. Just don't tell anyone I told you."

"Thanks." Before exiting, the young noble asked one more thing.

"Are you trying to figure out how to fix whatever is wrong with the furnace?"

"Something like that." I said as I walked out.

I needed to know.

.

.

* * *

 **Yuki's POV –**

I quickly dashed away from sight when Zero walked into the hall.

Breathing out, I realized that I was very close to being seen.

"Eavesdropping, eh?"

Springing up from my position, I turned around to see a tall, ash-brown haired man.

Kaito.

"Umm, yeah." I responded sheepishly.

"It's alright. I won't tell on you."

Kaito began to walk away.

"Hey! Um…You've known Zero for a long time, right?"

"I suppose so. We trained under the same master for a while."

I was hesitant to ask, but I was too curious.

"What…was Zero like before?"

"Before…?"

"Before…his parents…were murdered."

Seeming intrigued now, Kaito strolled to the window and took a seat on the sill, glancing outside through the wooden slats we put up for protection.

"Heh. Well, one way to put it is if you compared the Zero now to the Zero thirteen or fourteen years ago, you would be looking at two completely different people."

"Really?" Plopping myself on the arm of a couch, I was ready to listen.

"That guy…couldn't even shoot a rabbit, let alone a crazed blood sucking monster. It's not that he was a bad shot, he was actually a very good one, he just didn't want to."

"Why?"

"Zero didn't understand why there was a need to kill vampires, to kill anything. He had never seen a Level E before or what they could do, so he questioned it. He was innocent. Too innocent. I had never seen him angry until the one time I insulted his brother. But other than that, Zero couldn't hurt a fly…and I was envious and upset."

"You were jealous?"

"Yeah. Zero had come from a long line of prestigious vampire hunters. The Association foresaw that the next generation of Kiryu's would possibly be the strongest hunters yet, and so they waited and watched. What they weren't expecting…were twins. The Cursed Twins as some like to call it, where one usually takes the life of the other in the womb or they both do, causing a stillbirth. However, Zero took half of his twin's like, but never fully devoured him."

The man before me chuckled.

"Even as a fetus, he still couldn't bring himself to kill anyone."

Zero was so different as a young child. I've seen that Zero before though, the kind and gentle Zero…with me.

"The Association, despite the twin birth, still watched to see who would become the strongest, Zero or Ichiru."

"Why does being the strongest mean so much to them?" I questioned.

"It means the presidency. Commander of the Hunter Association."

"You mean, Zero would become the president?"

"Possibly. The Association wanted to see if Zero would be a good future candidate. Ichiru unfortunately, didn't match what they were looking for."

"What do they look for?"

"Superb strength, precision, intelligence, accuracy, critical thinking, coordination, leadership capabilities, and other things. Zero excelled in almost every topic. His father started training and testing him the moment he could walk from what he told me."

Zero always did well on school work and tests. I barely saw him study at all…

"There was just that one problem. He couldn't kill anything and he couldn't understand why he had to. And that's why I felt the way I did. Zero had the skills necessary to be the ultimate hunter and I was angry that he didn't want to use them. I treated him badly at times because of that. "

"What happened then?"

"Zero's father saw this problem and decided that his son needed more time, so he handed him over to our master, Toga Yagari. He's one of the top hunters in the whole world. My previous master got injured, so I was switched over to be trained by Master Yagari. That's how I met Zero."

"Did Zero's struggles lessen after training with Mr. Yagari?"

"I think so. We had to live with our master in a forest for a while, learning to survive and fend for ourselves. It wasn't easy. I hated it. But that was when we fought our first Level E together. It was…well…" Kaito paused.

"Let's just say that afterwards, Zero finally understood why vampire hunters do what they do."

I suppose that all hunters…would need to learn the same as Zero did at one point…

"After his family was attacked, I didn't see him again for a while until I went to the academy. He had changed so much by then…"

"How do you know so much about Zero? I know you knew him when you both were smaller, but that was all quite detailed."

Adjusting himself on the window sill, Kaito said, "Well, I kind of had to when I took the job at the academy. My main goal wasn't to become a teacher. The real reason was to watch over Zero on behalf of the Association…for his presidential candidacy. They needed to know that he was still competent."

I was shocked. "Zero is still a candidate? Even after becoming a vampire?"

"Not at first. They almost altogether canned the idea after learning what had happened to him. Although because he still performed hunter duties while nearing Level E, they never stopped watching him, as a precaution. The moment Zero was rumored of killing Shizuka Hio, his supposed vampire master, they became interested again. And after Zero had taken his brother's power as his own, it's now assumed that the position would be his as long as he continues to walk on the straight and narrow. In other words, as long as he's still fighting for our side, the presidency is his."

"Wow. I never would have guessed all this. The one time I had traveled with Zero to the Hunter Association, he received so many terrible looks from the other hunters. I can't believe they would all be so in favor of that now."

"Oh they're not happy. Neither are the elders. However, they know it's something they can't ignore. Zero _is_ most likely the strongest hunter that has ever lived so far. They would rather have him work for them than the enemy."

"Does Zero know about all this?"

"He doesn't. And right now the Association would like to keep it that way."

"So why did you tell me? Didn't you think I would tell Zero? Plus, I'm also a vampire."

Scratching his chin, Katio replied, "Well, other than your bloodlust, you don't really act like a vampire." Sliding off the window, he approached me. "And I don't think you'll tell Zero either."

"Why do you think that?"

"You and Zero don't seem to be on the best of terms right now. And since we're on the subject…"

Kaito inched closer, staring me down with an intense glare.

"Zero might be all tough now, but inside he's still that same old soft kid. Don't break his heart any more than it already is."

With that, Kaito had left me alone with my thoughts. The cold chill of his last words still present in the room. Zero's past, emotions, and feelings…They are more apparent to me now than ever before…And I felt…

What did I feel? After knowing so much now, what's my response? He told me how he felt, and I rejected him. I…

A painful sting in my chest welled up inside me and I clutched the edge of the sofa for support.

Zero has gone through so much pain and suffering and I just ended up adding more to it. He deserves someone who won't hurt him.

But I've…missed him. For this whole time I've been away…I've still missed him so much. I've had restless nights, thinking if he was having such a night as well. I've had dreams where I'd see his face…and I've cried the next morning, realizing it wasn't reality. I've hallucinated, thinking I've heard his voice when in truth, it was only a passing breeze. How much longer will I have to go through this?

But…Kaname…

How much longer will I have to be torn?

It's too late now. I've already ruined any chances of even being friends with Zero again.

Covering my mouth, I stifled my cries. It wasn't until now that I had finally realized how much I had been holding in.

I'm sorry Zero. I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, _I'm sorry_.

I don't know what to do.

* * *

 **Many hours later – Zero's POV -**

Raising my weary eyes, I glanced at the clock.

Two hours before dawn.

Four or five thick books that I had brought down from Kuran's personal library littered the coffee table next to wear I was seated in the living room. Some books were interesting, the others, not so much. Either way, I was able to get through my shift of taking watch while also finding what I thought to be useful information regarding the furnace. Kuran had apparently done some research on the subject and had scribbled some notes into a few of the books. Why he was studying this matter, I didn't care.

My theory…I believe it will work.

Standing up from my chair, I stretched and went over to my partner who was asleep on the sofa.

"Kaito."

I kicked his feet after receiving no response.

"Huh?" The slightly older hunter groaned, rubbing his eyes.

"Get up. We're leaving soon."

After a few moments, the rest of the mansion's occupants began to emerge one by one from wherever they chose to take their rest. The Chairman came to us and pulled out a map from his pocket.

"Good morning boys. I hope you both had a chance to catch up on sleep. Let's go over the route you both will be taking."

I was engaged with what the Chairman was showing us on the map for a while…until Yuki and Aido descended the staircase. Pretending to still be paying attention, I heard Aido say something.

"You look terrible. Did you sleep at all?"

"Not really. You know I'm not used to sleeping at night." The brown haired girl muttered solemnly. She had bags and bloodshot eyes. My heart reached out to her, but I knew better now. It was wrong to get attached again, not with my current goal in mind.

Once the Chairman finished giving us our instructions, we prepared to head out. I stuffed a view things into a bag, including one book that I wasn't able to finish, and made my way to the front door to wait for Kaito. Once he was ready, the Chairman came to us one last time before we could depart.

"If you both run into trouble that neither of you can handle, retreat back to us so we don't fall into the same dilemma. It's important that we get Yuki and Aido to the Association safely. Not only for their sake, but also for the vampire community's. They're important to the society and we'll need every bit of their confidence we can get when we help clean up this mess. I trust you both. We'll be a few miles behind. Good luck."

"We'll see you there."

Opening the door, Kaito and I took the first steps down the stone staircase towards our new mission. I tightened the buttons to my coat when I felt the icy breeze go past me.

"Zero! Wait!"

Hearing the front door open from the top of the steps, I turned to see Yuki standing at the doorway with a coat haphazardly thrown over her shoulders. Kaito rolled his eyes at me and announced that he was going to get the horses.

I made my way back up to wear she was and remained a step or two below. As I looked up into her eyes, I realized that they were slightly puffy, indicating she might have been crying.

"I-I wanted to talk to you before you left. The way we ended our last conversation…I…I don't want us to be like this, avoiding and not speaking to each other. I can't…I couldn't sleep all last night."

That much was evident.

With a shaky voice, Yuki said, "I miss you. I miss the way we used to be. I miss the fun and adventures we used to have at the academy. This past year…I've been miserable. I've found myself longing for you more than I thought I would. I wanted to be strong, but in the end, I realized that I'm just weak."

As tears rolled down her face, I moved closer and delicately brushed my hand across her cheek. She put her hand over mine in return.

"Don't cry for me, Yuki."

I brought her body towards me and enveloped the girl that I had so long wanted to love and protect into a tight hug. Considering what I had in mind for when I reached the Association, I realized that this may be the last time I could speak with her.

"Even if you don't think so, you've always been strong."

Her small hands gripped my jacket.

"I've tasted your blood. I know your feelings for him are great."

"So are mine for you." She muffled through her tears.

Burying my face into her hair, I fought back the knot in my chest with great intensity. I loved this woman in my arms to death, but if she had said this yesterday, I would have been over the moon. Now…now I hated what I was about to do.

"Live without me."

"Wha..What?"

She pushed against me and stared inquisitively.

"Why would you say that? How could I ever do that?"

"We can't…be together, Yuki…We've established that."

My body and mind screamed. What the hell was I doing? Here I was receiving another chance to make everything the way I always dreamed it to be with Yuki and I was throwing it away.

I was throwing it _away._

Is this really worth it? Is my plan worth this?

 _It is._

I wanted to cry out and scream, but I held it all in. This was for the best…It was for Yuki's best. I knew that deep inside.

"Zero…"

Liquid came running slowly down her eyes again. I always hated to see her cry. Crying for me only hurt more.

"Zero! Let's go." I heard Kaito say from the saddle of his horse while White Lilly impatiently waited beside him.

I whispered "I'm sorry" to Yuki and gently detached myself from her.

"I hope that one day, you'll forgive me."

That was the last thing I said the girl I loved before I hopped on my horse and rode on to my current objective unbeknownst to anyone but me. She stood at the door, frozen, until I was out of sight.

This is what I had to do. It was the only way, the only path left for me. I felt it's tug and pull ever since I thought of it.

Fate was cruel to dangle Yuki in my face once again, but this was my destiny now.

The thought kept pounding in my head like an unrelenting wave.

 _I'm going to throw my heart in the furnace._

.

.

.

* * *

 **Please review :) ;-;**


	10. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10**

 **I don't own Vampire Knight or its characters.**

* * *

 _Fate was cruel to dangle Yuki in my face once again, but this was my destiny now._

 _The thought kept pounding in my head like an unrelenting wave._

 _I'm going to throw my heart in the furnace._

* * *

The snow had relented and the sun was high in the sky. I took my hand off the reigns momentarily to block the harsh rays from my sight.

"Damn sun…" I mumbled.

"Hey, it could be worse. The old legends about vampires exploding into dust by sunlight could have been true." My partner riding his dark-haired horse said.

Sighing, I asked, "How far are we exactly?"

"Another half a day at most if we keep up this pace."

Looking down towards Lilly, I wondered if maybe we should be traveling at a faster rate. However, because the Chairman and his group were behind us only by a couple of miles, we didn't want to create a larger distance between us in case something did happen. Our job was to survey the road and eliminate any threats before it could reach them. Passing up any potential danger because we desired to arrive much quicker could be a fatal mistake.

"I think we should take the eastern entrance coming in to HQ. The usual entrance has been pretty jammed up lately from all the recent commotion of our new guests." Kaito suggested.

"So what do you think about that?"

"About what?"

"The decision to provide sanctuary to those vampires. I never asked you."

"Heh." Kaito scoffed. "You know me well enough, Zero. I hate it. I would kill off every blood sucker if I could. You're no exception."

One side of my mouth rose slightly.

"I'm surprised I'm still breathing."

Responding with his own inconspicuous smirk, he said,

"And you should enjoy it while you can."

Kaito and I had a similar agreement like the one I had with Yuki. If my sanity had finally left me, they would be the ones to end it. It felt good being able to joke around like this, even if this wasn't exactly a joking matter. Knowing that I won't have moments like these again…was…somewhat disheartening. However, I oddly felt no sadness or regret for what I was about to do. Strangely, I was at peace.

I redirected my attention back to Kaito.

"I expect nothing less from you."

"The second I heard the plans for this 'vampire hotel', I knew Cross was done. There's no way he'll be sitting in that president's chair for much longer. Coexistence sounds nice, but it's not realistic."

"So if you were the president, what would you do?"

"Me as president?" He chuckled from the saddle of his horse. "I thought you were going for a believable scenario, but I'll play along. If I were president…I'd make sure the Association stayed true to its one and only goal, killing vampires. We don't need to get into politics, we don't need to protect these creatures, we don't need to be on 'good terms' with their society's high and mighty. That's not what the Association is about. Let them destroy each other. Less work for us and makes the whole world safer anyway."

I stayed silent for a moment, pondering. Kaito and I had something in common, other than being hunters. We both began to hate vampires because of tragic circumstances. And for that, I understood him. I understood his need for revenge. I understood the burning rage whenever I'd even think of vampires. He never truly showed the depth of his abhorrence in its entirety, showing brief glimpses once in a while, but I knew it was very deep. I still remember that day when we were younger, facing our first Level E together. Kaito picked up the gun and aimed…that look in his eyes. He always seemed ready for such a moment, more than I was…

But that particular moment…that was different. I never thought he'd be ready for what he had to do…

That's why I understand...

"If innocent humans get dragged into their mess, then that`s a different story. But other than that, we don't need to get involved. For now, I'd say we throw the vampires were holding into the furnace and see what happens. God knows we're all dead if we don't figure out what's wrong with it."

"The furnace doesn't work that way. The one being sacrificed has to be willing."

"'Willing', huh? You get that from your homework last night? I saw you bring down a bunch of books."

"I did. The furnace will be fixed as soon as I get to headquarters."

"You did some intense studying then while I was asleep. So how will you fix it?"

"It's…complicated."

"Oh come on, Zero. I may not be as smart as you, but I know some big words too."

"Just leave it, Kaito."

I kicked Lilly and galloped slightly ahead. Not taking this as valid answer, Kaito sped up and stopped right in front of me, blocking my path.

"What the hell are you going to do, Zero?"

I didn't know how to say it, so I said nothing.

After a few seconds of silence, the expression in his face slowly changed to realization. Somehow, some way, Kaito knew by the look in my eyes. He glanced away promptly.

"When were you going to tell me?" He grounded out. I sensed a bit of restraint in his voice.

"I wasn't."

"I see…"

I sat confused when Kaito got off his horse and approached mine. In a swift and quick motion, I was pulled off of my saddle and thrown onto the icy ground. Lilly neighed in protest.

"So was I just supposed to find your pile of dust by the furnace!? Was that when I was supposed to know!?"

Getting up and now being at eye level, I said, "…This is why I didn't want to tell anyone."

He grabbed me by the collar and shook. "Because you knew they would try to stop you from killing yourself!? You're damn right!"

Removing his hands from my clothes, I pushed him back to create some space. I knew Kaito was furious, but this was more important than anything I've ever done before. He had to understand that.

"If I don't do this, then Kuran and the Senate will continue to cause havoc and more people will die! The hunters will keep on being defenseless and malicious vampires will do what they want. This isn't for me, this isn't me acting out on a death wish, this is for those who have been used and abused by manipulative vampires to do their bidding. I'm putting an end to it."

"But why does it have to be you!? You're not a pureblood! How the hell will your heart even fuel the furnace?"

"It will. I've taken enough pureblood blood for my heart to sustain itself for some time. It won't last for thousands of years, but it will be long enough for the hunters to put an end to this war. There is no one else who can do this but me, Kaito. Please understand."

"No! I-I can't accept that! What about Yuki, huh? What am I supposed to tell her?"

"What I'm doing is…also for Yuki. As long as this war goes on, Yuki will never be safe. She'll always be caught in the middle and will always be a target. When she does find out, she'll be upset, I know that. But…I'm doing this so she could live…and for that, I must die."

Kaito stared at me wide eyed with fury still evident in his pupils.

"Then… let's kill Kaname Kuran and the Senate. You don't have to sacrifice yourself! Bloody Rose still works. She's still able to shoot. We'll find some other weapons that still work and we'll make it our mission to stop them!" He pleaded.

"Kaito." I interjected. "You know I can't kill Kuran. He's much stronger than me. I can't kill more of those monsters of the Senate either, not in Bloody Rose's condition. I'm not foolish to think I stand a chance."

"You killed Rido Kuran! If you were able to take him down, than you can def-"

A soft whirring sounded just a moment for my ears to catch. The noise grew louder and before I could react, Kaito gave a sharp cry and knelt on the snow covered ground.

"Kaito!"

When I crouched beside him, I found the source of the sound.

An arrow…embedded deep within his left shoulder.

Pulling his body up slightly, I glanced over the wound. Half of the arrow was still sticking out and had not entirely penetrated his backside. Not a second later, I grabbed Kaito's middle and quickly carried him behind a large tree. He grimaced and groaned as I sat him up.

"You took an arrow. You're alright." I assured.

Loud thuds hit the tree we were taking cover behind. We were still under attack. I cautiously peeked to where the arrows were coming from and spotted two men situated opposite from each other in two larger branched trees up ahead.

Turning back to Kaito, I asked,

"Do you have any extra ammo?"

"Yeah. Jacket, inside pocket. Vampires?"

"Not sure." I loaded my weapon. "Either way, they won't be around for long. Stay here."

Leaving my shelter, I sprinted to the next large tree closer to my targets while evading more arrows. The type of arrows they used did not appear to be anti-vampiric. Feeling more confident, I showed myself and fired two quick shots, one to each opponent. Only one bullet left my barrel.

Thankfully, my shot counted. The enemy doubled over and collided with the ground, suddenly turning to dust. Only one more. I swept my eyes to the next tree and was dumbfounded when I found no one. A war cry caught my attention and caused me to turn around, only to barely block the enemy's bow with my gun from nearly bashing my head. The vampire was then forced to his knees when I grabbed his neck with my other hand.

"Kaname Kuran or the Senate? Who do you work for?" I snarled.

The vampire's crimson eyes bore through me as he gasped for breath. I loosened my grip, allowing him to speak.

"It doesn't matter. I've failed. I'm as good as dead!" He grounded out.

Squeezing my fingers around his trachea, I growled.

"I'll make sure you have a more painful death if you don't tell me why you're out here and who you work for!"

I let go once more as he coughed and labored to breathe. He raised his hands and said,

"Alright! I just…I just needed his blood! I didn't want to be like this, but I didn't have a choice!"

"What are you talking about?"

Bowing his head in defeat, he said, "Lord Kuran… I _need_ his blood. It's the only way to stop what I'm becoming."

"You're…you're a Level D…Do you know where he is?"

He shook his head. "I woke up one day in the forest, dazed and confused. My throat was burning. I didn't know what happened. I saw him standing in front of me. He said he could cure me…with his blood. All I had to do was follow his orders. He tasked me with defending this area, to not let anyone through. And now, I've failed…I'll never get better… so…kill me."

Looking up at me from where he knelt, tears sparkled in his red, lustful eyes.

" _Please._ I can't go on anymore. It hurts _too much._ Every waking moment…I'm in pain! I crave blood!" He exclaimed, tugging at the bottom of my coat.

This was something I'd never encountered. A vampire begging me to end his life. He reminded me…so much of myself. But what will I do? I was actually contemplating letting a vampire, _an enemy,_ live.

He was useless to me. He had no information regarding Kuran and was ordered to just do as told. Although, he could also be lying to me… but if he was telling the truth and he really had no control over his circumstances…then…

I raised my weapon against his forehead as he shut his eyes, waiting for the inevitable.

"You may not be the first vampire I've emphasized with, but you're the first one I've considered letting go, despite your request for death. Either way, I can't let you live. Your request will be granted."

"Thank you." He whispered.

"But I promise you, Kuran will pay."

My finger glided over the trigger. The vampire before me shook slightly, most likely fearful of what would come next. I gripped my gun tighter. Seconds passed. Why was this _so hard_? He didn't deserve this life. He had no other options left. For some reason, I felt as if I was killing an innocent man.

A quick splatter of blood sprayed my clothes, but I hadn't pulled the trigger. Kaito removed his knife from the vampire's throat and coldly said,

"Well what do you know? My knife still has some juice in it." With a stiff glare, he walked away towards his horse. However, he stopped after taking a few steps and said,

"I hope you know, Zero, that I will never let you get close enough to throw your heart in the furnace."

I inhaled the chilly air and let Kaito's words settle. The frosty breeze blew through the dust from the crumbling body before me. Another soul lost to this curse.

I'm sorry, Kaito… but…

No more…

…No more of this suffering.

I will get to the furnace.

My resolve grew as I holstered my gun and followed the path Kaito had taken.

* * *

 **A FEW HOURS LATER –**

Dusk was beginning to settle. The last glimpses of sunlight were sinking beneath the horizon.

We were still riding towards the Association. Kaito was able to patch his wound around the arrow and broke off most of it, but had to keep the piece inside him intact. It would be too dangerous to remove it at the moment.

Since our last altercation with those two vampires, Kaito has barely said a word to me. I didn't mind the quiet, I actually preferred it, but this was just feeling awkward. Occasionally he would speak a word to indicate which direction we would go, but other than that, it was as if we were strangers. Unfortunately, my back started to hurt and I wanted to suggest that we should stop for a while. Well, sooner or later, someone was going to have to speak.

"Kaito, let's rest for a few minutes." I said softly.

No answer.

"Kaito." I said again.

Still nothing.

"Hey, come o-"

"How could you be so calm?" Kaito whispered.

"What?"

"You." He looked angrily towards me. "You don't seem the least bit afraid about what you're wanting to do."

"Because I'm not."

Realizing that he was not going to stop and rest, I halted Lilly and got off my horse. Kaito reluctantly got off as well.

"I guess, in some ways, this decision is partly about me." After tying Lilly to a tree, I took a seat at its trunk. "In case you haven't noticed, I have no place in either the hunter or vampire world. Each side detests me for who I am. Vampires look down upon me because of my status. To them, I'm a stain amongst their kind. I walk into the Association almost every day and I can see that the eyes of the other hunters. They want me dead, and I don't really blame them. A beast walks by their side. So now when this opportunity arises to actually use this curse of mine for something worthwhile, I would gladly sacrifice my life for that."

Kaito was emotionless for a moment before chuckling to himself.

"So it's purpose that you seek. Well, whether you believe so or not, Zero, you have more purpose to this world by being alive than dead."

A greater purpose?

What did he mean by that?

White billowy smoke rose over the trees and sharply contrasted the darkening sky.

"Where is that coming from?" I asked.

Turning to where my eyes were transfixed, Kaito exclaimed,

"The Association!"

I quickly rose to my feet and jumped on my horse, as did Kaito. I let him take the lead and sped off towards the source of the rising smoke.

Approaching closer and closer, a faint orange and red tint showed through the trunks of the trees. The air became thicker and harder to breathe. Strained noises touched my ears. What were those?

Screams?

The smoke suddenly dissipated as a large clearing opened up. Kaito stopped abruptly and gasped. Before I could ask, I too was in shock.

It was a war.

Vampires against hunters. Vampires against vampires. Bodies and dust covered the ground.

And in the midst of this, stood _him._

The one who had played a major part of this game. The one I've been eager to point my gun at.

Through the fighting crowd, our eyes met as he withdrew a bloodied hand from the chest of a hunter.

I gritted my teeth and leapt off my horse. My veins felt as if they were on fire. Fury seeped from my disposition.

Unknowingly, this was the moment I've been craving for.

The furnace was kept inside the Association...and he was now blocking my way.

It was the perfect excuse to push aside my primary objective for a moment and make sure of one thing.

I was going to send Kuran Kaname to _hell._

And if not…

…then I was going to meet him there soon.


	11. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER 11**

 **I do not own Vampire Knight.**

* * *

 _I was going to send Kuran Kaname to hell._

 _And if not…_

… _then I was going to meet him there soon._

* * *

We were entranced in a duel for several long seconds. Not with fists or weapons, but with strong glances. Vampires and hunters, engrossed in the fight, passed by my line of sight with ease.

I knew they were there, but I didn't see them.

His blood-coated hand rose to his lips, and with a lick, my own blood boiled.

Sounds of grueling death around me, but I didn't hear them.

Putting my hand over Bloody Rose, I knew that I would have to be very careful. The disadvantage of my power level compared to his was only added to the issues with my weapon. This was now a dance. A game of chess.

"This will be your mistake, Kuran."

His cold, hard stare narrowed in on my own steely expression.

"Kiryuu. I was wondering when you would arrive. My hope was that you would be here, but now as I smell a particular…lingering scent on you, I realize you were in places you should not have been in…"

"Such as you are now, Kuran. A place where you shouldn`t be." I spat back.

I slowly took my stance and tried to calculate how I could take him on with minimal injury to myself.

"How should we do this, Zero?" Kaito whispered to me.

"There's no 'we'. I'm fighting Kuran alone."

Grabbing me roughly by the arm, Kaito said,

"You're going to get yourself killed! You'll die before you even get to the place where you actually planned to!"

Staring blankly into his eyes, I shrugged off his grip.

"You don't understand. I _need_ to do this. _You_ need to help out the other hunters." And with that, I stepped forward, picked up a fallen hunter's sword, and faced the man who had been controlling me ever since I stepped into the academy, ever since I met Yuki…

My gun will either fire a bullet or it won't fire at all. With a sword, I would at least have some penetrability. 'How much?' would be the question.

"Why did you come?" I asked.

My question seemed to intrigue him.

"To fulfill a promise."

I didn't miss a beat.

"To who?"

"Someone you hunters don't deserve."

In a blink, sharp fingers were coming towards my chest. I dodged quickly to the side, just in time to see a large crater right where I was standing. The moment I stood to regain my balance, I was defending myself once more. With the sword, I blocked each of his attacks as they came to me. I was careful not to take a wrong step backward and to make my blocks precise. One wrong move and I would be finished. I needed to find a way to get out of my defensive position and make a strike.

I saw an opening. While blocking, I pushed back harder and hit my opponent with the hilt of my weapon. As Kuran became slightly disoriented, I lunged. However, before I could make contact, he disappeared. Baffled, I searched in all directions. There was no sign of him.

I felt a swift breeze and turned slightly too late. Groaning, I fell to my knees and touched the blood-soaked area of my side where Kuran had swiped me with his razor thin claws. His attack was quick and almost unnoticeable.

"Where is she?" He growled.

Before I could get up, the pureblood had slashed deeply through the skin of my back.

"My patience is running low."

I was still on my knees as I tried to crawl and reach for the sword a few meters ahead of me. My hope was lost when Kuran kicked it away.

"I have no problem torturing you here until I get what I want." A brisk kick to my ribs was administered.

Struggling to breathe, I said,

"W-Who are you talking about?"

Suddenly, a dark blur from my peripheral vision unexpectedly darted across my line of sight towards the pureblood

"Kaito, stop!"

"I'm going to kill you, you bastard!"

Between his palms was the hunter's sword that I had dropped. Bringing the blade over him, Kaito swung toward Kuran's critical areas. However, it was stopped just inches before contact. The pureblood's hand sizzled as he held the blade between his fingers.

"You know that's not good enough."

The vampire king let go of the sword and released a strong force that propelled Kaito back.

"What is it that you truly want? The hunters have done nothing to you." I spat.

"The hunters are not so innocent. You hide and protect multitudes of greedy and nefarious vampires… and yet I am the criminal."

Kuran slowly approached Kaito, who was still on his back.

"Let's see if your friend has the answers I seek."

I tried to move but was shocked to find out that I couldn't. It was as if something was constricting me…and it was getting tighter.

I knew it was him, holding me back. I needed to get out of this and get to Kaito!

The pureblood had reached my partner.

"That is not all the hunters hide."

In one swift motion, Kaito's feet were off the ground. He was being held up by his neck, which was in Kuran's grasp. I continued to struggle with my invisible bonds, nearly missing a collision with another hunter. I needed to get out!

"Kaito!" I exclaimed.

Gasping for air, my friend tried to pry the enemy's fingers away.

"Tell me…where it is hidden." The pureblood demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" He managed to ground out.

"The _furnace_. Where is it? Where is she?"

Kaito looked to the Association's entrance in confusion. The gates were destroyed. Kuran had already been in there. He tightened his grip on my partner's airway.

"It would benefit you not to play such games with me. The _real_ furnace."

Kaito's eyes widened along with mine as I heard his words from afar. Seeing this, Kuran dropped Kaito to the ground.

"It seems as if your own people have been hiding more than I thought from you. If you do not know, then you are of no use to me."

No…

I struggled as hard as I could. Kaito!

"Kuran!" I tried to get his attention, but failed.

"It's quite a shame, to die because of the lies of others."

No! You won't control me, Kuran!

One of my legs became free and I hurried to release the rest of myself. Suddenly, a wandering vampire, presumably from Kuran's army, noticed my situation. He used this opportunity to move in for the kill.

Dammit!

The pureblood raised his extended claws towards Kaito.

The vampire was steps away from me.

I put all of my strength into one last pull to free myself. His pureblood powers are strong, but I needed to be stronger! I won't be controlled anymore!

A loud electric snap was heard and I suddenly could move. I took out Bloody Rose as I quickly rolled to the side and managed to put a bullet into the oncoming vampire's head. Turning my head to Kaito, I realized I was going to be too late.

My breath shuddered as his hand descended upon him.

Kaito's eyes closed.

.

.

 _BAM_

"Argh!"

Kaito opened his eyes. He was unscathed!

Looking to Kuran, the hand he was going to strike with was obliterated, showing the distal bones of his wrist. The enraged pureblood turned toward the direction of the attack and found my master, bleeding from his head and positioned on his knees, holding a rifle up to his eye.

"Kaito! Move, damn you!" My master screamed, struggling to keep his balance.

"I must admit that you hunters are relentless. Maybe your senior will have answers."

Before Kuran could take a step, I was before him, gun raised.

"You won't lay a finger on him…or anyone else."

Kuran's hand began to slowly regenerate.

"So you managed to escape my bonds. You're as capable as I thought. Exactly why I picked you to be Yuki's shield."

"Don't you talk about her!"

"And why is that? Do you think you now have some sort of right to her? You forget your place, Kiryuu, and the reason why I let you live. I could have let Shizuka kill you, but I had other purposes for you."

"I defended myself against Shizuka. If Ichiru didn't interfere, I would have killed her and not you!"

"No. Search further into your past. A time where that woman spared your life."

Droplets of sweat rolled down my face. What?

Images flashed through my mind. My parent's smiling faces, Ichiru's hugs, my family…

Peace…

.

.

But then…

Red.

Pain.

And screams.

.

My parents…my parents…

And Ichiru…next to _that woman_ …

.

.

No…

.

.

No!

It couldn't be. It couldn't! It couldn't!

"Nothing in your life Zero, from that moment on, has been your choice."

I almost dropped to my knees right then and there.

"It was…it was _you. You."_

 _Him._

My hands shook and my teeth gritted.

It was him. It was him.

He killed them.

He killed my parents.

Kaname Kuran killed my mother and father.

He killed them. He killed them!

My vision began to blur. My chest was collapsing.

…And Ichiru…

He killed them.

He killed my family.

Those words circulated through my mind over and over again.

.

.

I had been rooted to my spot for what felt like hours, my gun still positioned at the man before me, but my stance was no longer how it was. Everything was falling apart within me.

My aim was wavering with my hair sticking to my face, by tears or sweat, I didn't know.

Opening my mouth to speak, only one word came out.

"Why?"

Under Kuran's steady gaze, I awaited an answer.

"I needed you. I needed someone who could destroy the monster who thre-"

I didn't let him finish.

I charged him quickly and swiftly, catching the surprised look on his face before slamming the pureblood into a fallen block of cement.

It was nothing but tunnel vision.

Holding him down with all the strength within me, I repeatedly pressed the trigger and unloaded as many bullets as my weapon allowed into his body.

All within a matter of a few seconds.

I saw the red again.

Suddenly, I was dealt a hard blow to my abdomen that had me propelled back.

The blood-soaked creature ascended from the rubble and tried to heal. I wasn't going to let that happen. Quickly getting to my feet, I knew I had to attack again, but the look in Kuran's eyes this time told me it was going to be much more difficult. He was done playing games. The real showdown was about to begin.

I took a moment to survey the area. This open area would not benefit me. I needed some type of coverage for an advantage. Most of the fighters had left us alone to our own battle and had given us space, knowing the potential damage both of us could inflict. Spotting an enclave of large pieces of rubble, I knew I had to take the fight there.

Kuran seemed to heal somewhat, but appeared to be injured still with murder dripping from every crack.

"I made you develop your hate, I made you become stronger, I made you take back the power the curse of the twins had robbed from you. And at the same time, I detested the sight of you, the smell of you, the rebellion in your eyes and actions, the closeness between you and Yuki. I watched the way you looked at her. I watched the way you pulled her away from me. And worst of all, I smelled her sweet blood being spilled in the night while knowing that _I could not kill you yet…_ I suspected this problem would arise when you moved into the same house as she. Your feelings for her were not part of the plan, but you killing Rido still was... so I held back… and suffered through my window looking out at you two."

I stayed still and observed his claws elongate.

"Well Kiryuu, that chapter has passed. The time I have been long awaiting is finally here. I have no more use for you."

Dirt and rubble suddenly flew towards me. I dodged and turned toward the direction of the area I wanted to be in. As suspected, Kuran followed me with sharp nails drawn.

Moving quickly out of his site, I took shelter behind a large rock. By the look of the damage I had done, Kuran would have to finish me off quickly before he would have to retreat and address his wounds. I needed to attack him in a covert and precise manner.

Growing tired of searching for me, Kuran stared demolishing the obstructions.

I began to think hard, putting together an attack strategy, but two small screams drew my attention.

"Hmm. The children of two prominent members of vampire society."

From my vantage point, were a set of twins cowering before the pureblood. It seemed as though during his search for me, he had found them instead. Both had straight blonde hair and appeared to be five or six in human years.

"Now, what am I going to do with you both?"

The whimpering children peered up at the darkly cloaked figure and began to shake even more, holding on to each other for comfort.

They reminded me of… Ichiru and myself…

"I'm afraid there's only one thing I can do, young ones. The sins of your parents will unfortunately have to come upon you."

My eyes widened.

"NO!"

In a blink, I was blocking Kuran's fatal blow with my shoulder and a thick sheet of metal, acting as a shield to the two vampire twins behind me. The pureblood was shocked, but continued to press harder against the metal. My feet dug into the ground harder as I pushed back with just as much force. I looked back at the twins.

"GO! Get out!"

My feet were slipping and I was beginning to feel Kuran's impact behind the barrier. I wouldn't be able to hold much longer.

One of the twins finally took the other by the hand and disappeared. At that moment, my balance had been lost. I felt the air rush by me and before I knew it, my back had hit something and I was suddenly motionless. My vision was blurred, but I could hear his steps against the ground right in front of me.

"Your actions surprise me once again. Although, as much as I would like to continue, this fight is over."

I clenched my eyes shut. My energy was drained.

This was going to be it.

Mother…

…Father.

Ichiru.

I'm sorry.

I couldn't avenge your deaths.

…Yuki…

I…

A groan was heard. A spilling of blood.

I opened my eyes.

"K..Kaito…" Was all I could murmur.

The slick sound of blood and organs moving echoed in my ears as a long arm removed itself from Kaito's body. He stumbled back and fell into my arms.

"Kaito!"

I flipped him around and placed my hand over the hole in his stomach.

"How unfortunate."

My whole body clenched in anger as I looked up at the emotionless monster. Before I had a chance to do anything, my senses picked up a nearing familiar presence. Kuran felt it too.

"And again your life is prolonged. Don't consider yourself so lucky next time we meet, Kiryuu."

In a steady stream of bats, the pureblood had fled.

For a moment, I continued to stare at the spot he once stood… until a weak hand gripped my collar.

" Zer..o."

I turned my attention back down to Kaito, still applying pressure to his wounds.

"You shouldn't have done that!"

"I-I..I'm sorry." He said while coughing up his red life source.

"Don't speak. The Chairman is close. He'll patch you up."

"I'm sorry… I-I treated you bad…as a kid."

"Stop apologizing! Don't talk like that. You'll be fine!"

Kaito chuckled, spewing out more blood.

"…Zero…Don't…Don't be silly. N-Nothing will fix me."

"Dammit I said to shut up! You'll be fine! You'll be fine and tomorrow we'll go find that-"

"Zero…"

My eyes welled up as I looked into his. I was being unrealistic.

My friend.

My partner.

Was going to die…

"I know." I choked up. "I know."

I gripped him tighter as he laid in my lap. In my attempt to stay strong, I restrained my tears.

"Hey…" He whispered, the light noticeably growing dimmer in his eyes.

"T..Thank you, Zero. Thank you…for showing me…that some vam..pires…are worth p-protecting."

My tears finally fell.

His color was quickly fading.

"Just rest, friend."

After a few moments, I heard the last breath escape his lips. Holding the body of my childhood friend, I let everything within me finally come out.

There, in the middle of the destruction and chaos, silent sobs raked my body.

* * *

 **Please review :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER 12**

 **I do not own Vampire Knight.**

* * *

 _It was him…_

 _It was him…_

 _He killed my family._

* * *

"Here, sit down. I'll bring you some more bandages." I said as I led a wounded hunter so sit back on a flat stone. Tentatively, I asked, "Have you...uh…"

The hunter shook his head.

Sighing, I retreated back to the crumbled building, the Association's headquarters. I stepped over some debris and opened up a crate with medical supplies. After rummaging through the items, I stopped and took a breath, holding back tears.

'Where is he?'

That thought had been in my head since the moment I arrived with Aido and the Chairman. Even more so now considering that some time has passed. The fire had been mostly put out and only a few remaining hunters survived the attack. The vampires taking refuge here took a hit as well, although because there isn't exactly a "body" to count after they die, it will take some time to find out exactly how many were lost.

Loosely playing with a tin box of bandages in my hands, I recalled the words of Mr. Yagari from earlier.

'Last time I saw him, he was fighting Kaname Kuran. I'm not sure where they went, but I think Kaito went after them.'

Of course I thought of the worst. Did Kaname kill him? Was he injured and alone somewhere? And then my mind was also trying to comprehend how Kaname could do this. Innocent people... Why? Why? Why, Kaname? What are you trying to do?

I couldn't take all of my pent up anxiety inside the confinement of this room anymore, so I grabbed what I came for and stepped back outside.

'The sun will be coming up soon.'

"Yuki."

My adopted father approached me with Aido by his side, sighing deeply and rubbing his forehead. The bags under his eyes indicated that he hasn't had a chance to rest in a while.

"Aido and I just went over to the housing area to speak with the vampires. They've lost many of their friends and family during the fight and are feeling very vulnerable right now. So recently I've gotten word that Isaya Shoto will be arriving soon."

"Isaya Shoto? The pureblood who just awoke from a fifty year slumber?" I asked.

"Yes, him. He also happens to be a friend of mine." The Chairman said.

"Why is he coming?"

"Our people need someone who can organize and lead them right now, Yuki. Lord Shoto intends to just implement order and isn't interested in joining any fight." Aido replied.

"But…how will the hunters feel about this? They were already very against me being here…" My mind was brought back to the scene earlier when the Chairman had to calm down a group of wounded hunters because of my presence, understandably.

"I think they'll be happy for them to be taken out of our hands." My father said.

"I suppose you're right. Oh, and father…Um…" I was hesitant once again to ask this question, but he understood and placed both hands on my shoulders, reassuring me.

"No, I haven't, but we will."

His signature smile hid the exhaustion behind his eyes as he passed me. Aido took his place by my side, releasing a deep breath.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

The aristocrat took a few moments to look around him before he spoke.

"To be honest, no. Have you seen…um… inside?" A hint of weariness in his voice.

"Seen what?"

"Follow me." He said quietly.

Aido took me by the wrist and led me into the building. After going through many partially destroyed rooms, stairs, and hallways, we stopped at a large opening where I had guessed a door previously stood. I was then pulled inside as Aido balanced a candle with his other hand.

"Take a look."

Scattered around the floor were several massive concave pieces of some type of stone. It seemed as though it would resemble a circular structure if reassembled.

"What is this?"

The candle light danced in the blue of Aido's eyes as he turned to me and said,

"It's the furnace, Yuki."

"Oh…"

Looking back at the chunks of rock, I tried to imagine how it might have previously burned, flickering in the darkness.

"Kaname has effectively removed the hunters from this fight. He may never be stopped now…" Aido said.

'Kaname…I still don't understand…What happened to you?'

"The air is suffocating. I'm going back outside." I murmured before turning on my heel and walking my way back out. I heard no opposition from Aido as his footsteps silently followed my lead. Loud voices cut through the quiet as I got closer to the exit.

"What's going on?" I said to myself as I stepped outside.

Under the cloudy brightening sky was a man with silver hair walking towards the Association. My heart leapt into my throat.

"Zer-" I stopped abruptly. Glancing down, a brown-haired man was laying limp in his arms. When realization hit me, I gasped.

'…Kaito…'

Suddenly, I felt his pain. I felt it in the way he was walking towards us, in the way he had his head down, hair covering his eyes. I felt it in the way he held on to his friend and partner, with purpose.

The hunters around me had lost their voice as Zero walked past them all. My heart fell into my stomach when he passed his master, Kaito's master as well. The dark haired hunter dropped his cigarette and slowly went to his knees, eyes wide and muttering something incoherent as he saw his students go by. Zero never stopped. As my childhood friend got closer, I began to notice his tattered clothing and dried blood. I wanted to reach out to him, to feel him, to see if he was alright, but I knew now wasn't the time. This moment… was sensitive. The Chairman had at some point come beside me and watched Zero arrive. His expression became much more solemn.

Eventually, Zero ended his journey in one of the empty rooms, where he laid the body on a wooden table. I watched discretely from the doorway as he stood over him, saying nothing.

'What can I say?' With his back towards me, I contemplated hard. I wanted to comfort him, talk to him, something! But I didn't know how to approach this.

"I faced my first Level E with Kaito."

I flinched. My cover was blown. I removed myself from behind the wall and slowly entered the room. Zero still had his back to me.

"He had come from a difficult family. His parents didn't care for him and his brother, a vampire hunter, went missing on a hunt. He lived with his previous master for most of his young life."

I stayed silent and continued to listen.

"Eventually, his master got injured and my master took over his training. That's when I first met him… He picked on Ichiru and I a lot. Every time Ichiru had to stop or slow down, Kaito would get angry… and frustrated at me for helping my brother. He said I was too 'soft.'"

'Zero being soft?' I shook away my thoughts. Now wasn't the time to stray.

His broad shoulders rose and fell from his deep respiration.

"…For so long, I didn't understand why he was that way, so rigid and cold, especially towards the entire vampire race. It wasn't until we had our first hunt that I started to understand."

He dragged his fingers across the creases of the wood and went on.

"Our master had left us alone momentarily in the forest. We had gotten word of a Level E taking refuge there. It was just Kaito and I when all of a sudden, I felt a certain chill. A sensation I had never felt before. It was my vampire senses kicking in. Thhen I realized something had scratched my neck, and when I turned around, it was the Level E. I had never seen one before. He was relatively young with sharp nails, black, bottomless eyes, pale skin, and defined bones. I wasn't ready for it…and I was terrified…but we fought it together."

Hearing a slight crack in his voice, I stepped a little closer.

"We fought and weakened it. Before Kaito could finish him, he recognized the vampire. It was his older brother that had went missing… He had been bitten by a pureblood."

I lowered my head, feeling sort of guilty for something I didn't do.

"Kaito hesitated. The next moment, he was on the floor and I was grabbed by by the Level E…I thought that was the end… but thankfully our master came just in time and freed me. The creature was now cornered, awaiting his death. Master got ready to shoot, but Kaito stopped him…and asked to kill him himself."

Zero shook his head slowly.

"After that, I strived to become braver and stronger, like Kaito…to protect the people I cared about like my brother, from purebloods...from turning into that monster."

Gripping the edges of the table, he ground out,

"And now? Now I've carried both of their bodies away…"

I stood beside Zero now and lightly touched his stiff hand and was surprised when he didn't resist.

"How many more bodies will I have to carry until Kaname Kuran is dead?" He spat.

I was speechless again. My lips were moving, but nothing came out.

"You've been lying to us!" Zero roared.

I jumped at his outburst and furrowed my brows.

"What?"

He pulled away from my grip and turned back towards the doorway where I was hiding previously.

"You."

Following his gaze, I saw my adopted father at the entrance with a white sheet in his arms. Calmly and slowly, he approached the wooden table and covered Kaito's body with the sheet.

"Kaito was a good hunter." He said as he stared down at the table.

"How long did you know?" Zero questioned.

"Know what?" I butt in.

The long-haired hunter didn't reply. Slamming his fist down, Zero asked again.

"How long have you known that furnace was a fake!?"

The Chairman only bowed his head lower.

"A fake? But…how!? Father?"

Flanked on both sides by his adopted children, the older man responded.

"I've always known…"

My head began to spin.

"Wait…so the furnace I saw in that room downstairs, it's not real?"

The Chairman sighed deeply and removed his glasses.

"No. It was just a decoy."

I pressed further, "Then where is the real one?"

Before he could answer, Zero interjected.

"It's at the academy, isn't it?"

The Chairman only stared blankly at Zero.

"A legendary hunter suddenly decides to retire and starts a school? A school conveniently located on the same ground as the previous Hunters' Association headquarters? It all makes sense now. You didn't choose to retire because of your co-existence views. You were tasked with guarding the furnace."

"No. You are partially right, but co-existence was one of my main reasons. I wanted to retire from vampire hunting, however, the elders didn't want me to. I was in my prime, too good to leave. But my conscious was eating away at me. I couldn't hunt without guilt and I was ready just to run away. So in order to keep me within the organization, the elders proposed I watch over the furnace. The Association just constructed the new and improved building and the old one was going to be abandoned. They were unsure of how to move the furnace without causing damage to it, so they decided to leave it and place it under my care."

"How did the school come about then?"

"They said I could do anything I like to the building, make it anything I want, just keep the furnace safe. That was their instructions. I still wanted to promote co-existence, so I established a school. One with a day class…and night class. The elder board was very much against it at first, but after some strategic convincing, they reluctantly gave in."

This was all too much for me. The whole time Zero and I had been guardians, walking around the grounds of the academy, we were unaware of something greater we were protecting.

"Where exactly is it? I feel like I know the academy so well, I should have seen it." I wondered.

"It's safe underground beneath the main building. It's reached by a secret entrance. No one should be able to find it unless they knew where to look."

"Why didn't you tell us?" I continued. He turned around and put his hands on my shoulders as like each time he wanted to reassure me.

"Yuki. I wanted to tell you, both of you, but it would have been too dangerous. Not many people know about the true location of the furnace. And we try to keep it that way for reasons like this. Kaname wanted to destroy it, but now we've bought some time before he finds the real one."

"Chairman." Zero hesitated. "I have a feeling Kuran's intention wasn't to destroy it."

"What do you mean?"

"When Kaito and I first encountered him, he kept asking 'where is she?' He also said he came to fulfill a promise to someone."

"A promise?" The Chairman questioned while rubbing his chin.

"Yeah. By the way he spoke, it didn't seem like his objective was to cripple the hunters."

'She?' I pondered. 'Who could he be talking about? Could Kaname be looking for me? No…That doesn't make sense. He would have checked the house first. Who is he looking for?" A slight pang of jealousy struck me, but I quickly brushed it away.

"Let's discuss this later, Zero. I think Isaya is here."

The Chairman bolted from the room, leaving Zero and I with puzzling looks. When we stepped back outside, we realized a large commotion going on. A small group of hunters were arguing with the Chairman and a man with long, golden hair stood behind him with his own entourage.

"I've had it with you, Kaien! How many purebloods are going to be invited!?" A limping hunter exclaimed.

"He's just here to take care of the vampires."

"Bullshit! This is a disgrace to all the hunters who died here today!"

"Yeah! Stop defending these bloodsuckers!" Another one said.

"They've killed enough of us!" "Who's side are you really on!?" "I knew having you as our President was a bad idea!"

I couldn't take hearing this anymore. I strided over to the group and pulled my father away.

"Mr. Shoto, please come with us."

Zero followed and watched in amazement as I guided us to a private room and closed the door.

I took a breath. "I'm sorry if I acted a bit aggressively. It's just…"

"No need to apologize, Yuki. I appreciate what you did." My father gave me a warm smile. "I should be the one apologizing, Isaya. The hunters are on edge at the moment."

"Don't worry. No need. So this is Yuki?"

I turned my eyes to the other pureblood in the room. His hair was at shoulder length and his skin seemed smooth and flawless. Judging by his reaction outside, he appeared to be a calm, collected, and elegant man. Zero still seemed to be on guard as always.

"Um, yes, I am."

He smiled. "I have no doubt that you are the daughter of Haruka and Juri Kuran."

"You knew my parents?"

"Of course. They were my friends. I'm sorry. I heard about the tragedy after I had woke up. Recently, I have been wishing I never went to sleep in the first place. I miss them dearly."

I bowed slightly as a thanks.

"Now, Kaien. We have some matters to discuss."

"Yes, the vampires. I think it would be wise if you looked after them from here. They have expressed that they don't feel safe anymore."

"Mhm. I went over there earlier and they have told me they lost over half of their population when Kaname Kuran attacked.

"Isaya, I promised I would protect them when I offered them sanctuary here, and I've failed them. Please don't fail them too."

"I have property up in the mountains that is unused. I will take them there and let them stay until everything has calmed down."

"Thank you. You've always been a good friend, Isaya."

"The same is true for you, Kaien. I, like you, hope to see humans and vampires co-exist one day." Suddenly, the newly awakened pureblood turned to Zero and asked,

"You, what is your name?"

Zero shifted his eyes between Isaya, the Chairman, me, and back to Isaya before answering.

"Zero."

"Zero, can I ask for a bit of your time? There's some people over at the housing area that you need to be introduced to properly. Kaien and Yuki, you're both also welcomed to come."

Zero shrugged and muttered an 'okay.' Curiosity got the best of my father and I as we followed Isaya out of the room.

"Uhh…let's take the side door out."

* * *

When we arrived, I was shocked to see that their homes were also mostly desecrated. Some vampires were trying to repair their roofs and space while others swept up the dust and sand from the ground. I could hear the cries of women and children. As they saw us come into view, many bowed their heads at me and Isaya. Many looked away as well.

After walking through the area for some time, he stopped at the door of a particular house.

"Wait here." He said to us before he walked in.

I took a quick glance at Zero. His sharp gaze glanced at his surroundings. He seemed a little uncomfortable of where we were at. A few moments later, Isaya emerged from the house. Behind him were two small boys, identical to each other, with a mixture of blond and golden hair, just like Isaya's. I caught Zero's eyes widen slightly.

"Is this him?" Isaya asked the children while pointing at Zero.

The two little ones grinned and nodded simultaneously when they looked up to my tall friend. Isaya smiled and said to them,

"Then what do you want to say?"

The boys slowly approached Zero together. The young hunter crouched to their level and was effectively stunned when two pairs of arms wrapped around his neck.

"Thank you for saving us." One said.

"Yes, thank you, mister."

Zero hadn't moved an inch, still paralyzed. When they both decided to end the embrace, Zero gave a small nod towards them and straightened up on his feet. My heart had melted instantaneously and the Chairman was covertly wiping his eyes. The pureblood put his hands on the heads of the children and said,

"Zero, this one's name is Akio and the other is Katsu. They are part of the Shoto family. My family. When I arrived, I was told they were almost killed by Kaname Kuran, but a silver – haired man had saved them. It wasn't that difficult to find you. So, even though they have already, I would also like to personally thank you. Thank you for risking yourself to save two children you didn't know. Whatever you want, Zero, whatever you need, it's your's."

"Thanks, but I don't need anything. The only thing I want is to stop Kuran, and that's something I need to do myself." He responded.

"Of course. You have my full support."

With that, Zero nodded and started to walk back to the main camp. As I watched his retreating back, I couldn't help but feel proud. Acting selflessly and taking no reward. It was very Zero-like...

"He's going to make a good President some day." My sniffling father said.

"He is."

* * *

 **Please review :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER 13**

 **I don't own Vampire Knight**

* * *

" _He's going to make a good President some day."_

* * *

I was standing before Kaito's sheet-covered body again. The Chairman and Yuki returned shortly after I did. I know I left in a rush, but I felt a sense of urgency after I met the twins.

They could have died.

Kuran's words floated through my head,

' _The sins of your parents will unfortunately have to come upon you.'_

I scoffed at the thought. Is that why Shizuka had to take Ichiru and turn me? The sins of our parents? Partially, but it was Kuran pulling the strings. He always has…

Looking down at the body once more, I thought, 'Soon, he'll have to be buried.' Glancing out from the small window in the room, dark clouds began to accumulate.

'Hm. It may just have to wait...but something else can't. I have to stick with my original plan. I have to get to the real furnace…'

Ducking out of the room, I began my search for the Chairman. Most of the hunters had moved inside - whatever inside was left - due to the oncoming rain. Eventually, I found him in the old library placing books back on the shelves. The place was large and perfectly circular, with the exception of a large hole at the corner of the ceiling.

"Chairman," I announced. The man was practically buried beneath mountains of books at an ancient desk.

"Ah! Zero! Perfect timing. I was about to go speak to you. You ran off so quickly earlier."

"Yeah… I just felt that I couldn't stick around for much longer…By the way, I had a question about Isaya."

"Shoot."

I approached. "Why did it take so long for Isaya to help his people? You said before he was concerned for their safety, which prompted you to take them in. Now, after the attack, he comes in to save the day to take them off your hands? Doesn't that sound a little suspicious?"

"Hmm." He removed his glasses. "I was a little skeptical, I will admit. However, Isaya's beliefs are quite similar to mine and he's been a good friend to me. I highly doubt he's up to something. Plus, who would he be working for?"

"Kuran, the Senate, himself? Whichever it is, I think we need to keep an eye on him."

"You make a valid argument. I'll see what I can do. We're a bit short handed here, I'm afraid." I nodded at his response and broached a new subject.

"Now, we need to talk about our strategy against Kuran. It won't be long before he finds the real furnace."

Whirling around with a book in his hand, the Chairman said, "Yes, I just requested assistance from another hunter division not too far away. They should be here soon. In the meantime, I've been thinking a lot about the furnace. Kaname plans to do something with it, but I'm not sure what just yet."

"You said before that the furnace was dying. Do you think he wants to throw in his heart?"

"All this killing and war just for him to throw in his heart? All he had to do was tell the Association he wanted to do that and we would roll out the red carpet, no questions asked. So no, that's unlikely." The older man placed another book on the shelf and picked up another.

"Do you have men watching the furnace now?"

"Yes, I sent out a notice for them to be on alert. Hopefully, it reaches them first before Kaname does. I'm truly thankful that Toga let the students out early. Imagine them being involved in this mess!" The Chairman threw the book down and rubbed his face.

"Shouldn't we be there right now?"

"Yes. Although, our supplies run short at the moment and the hunters that survived the attack are in no shape to travel such far distances. We'll have to wait 'til the hunters from the other division arrive. I expect them to be here in a day or two."

Nodding, I paced along the length of the desk.

"The Senate must have heard what happened

by now."

Groaning, the older man sat on the desk chair. "They're probably trying to find Kaname's trail right now. I wouldn't be surprised if we run into some of those monsters you fought back at the mansion pretty soon. Did you see any during the attack?"

"No, just regular Level C vampires from Kuran's army. I don't believe they were using hunter weapons this time."

"And it would be unlikely that they would. Mostly all of the weapons made from the furnace do not work anymore. Not even a fizzle or spark at this point. It's a disadvantage for them too. At this moment, the Senate has the upper hand with their artificial creations. I almost dare to say they're enemy number one if it wasn't for Kaname's interest in the furnace."

Tired of standing, I took a seat at the edge of the wooden desk.

"You told me before that older hunter weapons just began to become defective. Bloody Rose still works. Only occasionally does she not shoot. How old is Bloody Rose again?"

"She's one of the first weapons made from the parent metal, just like Artemis."

"Then we still have a chance." Jumping up from my seat, I scratched my head and pondered before turning back around to the seasoned hunter. "What if we get more old weapons? Enough to replace the ones we can't use? Because even if more hunters come, they'll be useless without something to fight with."

"Zero," The Chairman's face paled, "there's only one place where we can get that many weapons."

"Where?"

The man before me fidgeted.

"What happens after a hunter dies, Zero?"

Raising an eyebrow, I replied, "He's…buried?"

"Where?" He shot back.

"…The cemetery."

"With what?"

I slowly lowered my head…

"Are you suggesting that we…?"

"Do we really have any other choice?"

"No…The only way we can find older weapons is by digging up the graves of deceased hunters to retrieve them…" I said softly.

The Chairman leaned in and whispered. "There are over four hundred hunter grave plots in the nearest cemetery. If we focus on the gravestones with the oldest dates first, we might just have a decent amount to arm ourselves and the new hunters arriving."

"Yeah…" I didn't have many words to say. The idea of digging up and defacing many notable and respectable graves was disgusting to me. But as we said before, did we have another option? I was slightly regretting even bringing up this topic.

"You should gather all the hunters who can walk and hold a shovel and take them to the cemetery as soon as possible."

"They won't like this idea and they all believe the furnace was destroyed."

"Hm," the Chairman fixated his eyes and appeared deep in thought, "Tell them we're in the process of reassembling the furnace and should expect it back in working function soon. In the meantime, we must replenish our low weapons stock and this is the only way to do it."

"You're going to keep lying to them!?" I exclaimed.

"Zero, that decoy was created for a reason. Protecting the furnace is one of our top priorities. I know the relationship between me and the other hunters is already strained, but I don't plan on being in the President's seat for long."

"Wha…What do you mean? If not you, then who?"

Sighing, he said while motioning to sit, "Please, take a seat again, Zero."

"Why don't you just tell me?" I replied defiantly.

"Please, it's important." The Chairman emphasized. Finally, I gave in and dragged a dusty stool to the opposite side of the desk and took a seat.

"There are some things you have to know."

"More secrets?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

I scoffed.

Ignoring this, he continued.

"To start, Kaito had other reasons for coming to the academy, posing as a student teacher."

"Yeah, he said he was keeping an eye on me for the Association, making sure I didn't go crazy."

"Yes, that's true. Although, that's only half of it."

I tilted my head and narrowed my eyes at the man.

"He was also assigned to report back your… eligibility as President of the Hunter Association."

"What?"

Suddenly, Kaito's words entered my mind.

' _So it's purpose that you seek. Well, whether you believe so or not, Zero, you have more purpose to this world by being alive than dead.'_

"Did…Kaito know about the furnace's secret?"

"He didn't," he said as he lit an oil lamp to combat the growing darkness, "Kaito knew many things, but that, he did not."

"So this was the plan all along? To have me take over the Association?"

"It only officially went underway when you killed Rido. No other hunter before you has destroyed a pureblood so easily." He stated as a matter of fact.

"But I'm a vampire."

"And?"

My eyes widened. Is he crazy?

"What do you mean 'and'? The hunters already have disdain for me. You think they'll let me be their leader? You've lost your sense, old man."

"You're right about one thing, Zero. I am an old man. A couple hundred years old, in fact. I'm tired. And whether you believe it or not, those hunters out there hate me a lot more than they do you right now. In their eyes, I've brought destruction to this place when I brought the vampires here and honestly, they're not entirely wrong… I hold much of the responsibility for this. Hunters died here because of me."

"You didn't really know this would happen." I said.

"But you did, Zero, and you told me that it was a foolish idea. And now, I wish I would have given it some more thought. For the rest of my life, I know I'm going to be thinking back to yesterday, wondering what else I could have done…"

I wasn't going to lie. I felt bad for him. Even though I probably would have never allowed so many vampires to stay here, the Chairman's always had a big heart and his intentions are good.

"You may be a vampire, but I think you're the perfect man for my position. I've seen you grow so much over the years. Compared to how you were as a child, you're hardly the same. Given your circumstances, it's no surprise. But Zero, I've seen glimpses of that same old child I visited years ago. The same child who cared deeply for others. The one who would gladly sacrifice his life for the innocent. That's always been you, deep inside. Whether you're a vampire or a human, you'll always be Zero. You'll always be you. And in that aspect, I don't think you'll ever change. You are someone that I would want sitting in my chair."

I had no words to say. It was hard for me to digest it all. Would I really be a good President? Most of my life, I've been a disgusting creature lusting for blood. How can someone like me lead?

"I'm not so sure if I agree with you, Chairman. I'm not everything you think I am."

The man got up and walked around the desk to face me.

"Maybe you've forgotten what happened not too long ago. You saved two vampire children from Kaname. That, Zero, gives me hope."

"It wasn't that they were vampires that made me want to save them. I just saw two kids about to lose everything. They just…reminded me of…Ichiru…and when Shizuka…"

"That's right, Zero. You didn't make a decision to save them because of what they were, you made it because you didn't want to see what happened to your family happen to them. What you did makes me feel as if maybe everything I've done to promote coexistence wasn't in vain. You've already made me so proud. You can be the bridge between vampires and hunters and finally bring peace. You and Yuki can bring peace."

"Yuki and I?"

"You and Yuki, yes. Oh you children are so blind!" The chairman said to himself, "So, go take as many hunters as you can, those who are well enough to use shovels, and go to the cemetery. I know it'll be difficult, harder than you could possibly imagine. And when you're done, come back and see me. I have a feeling we'll need to have another discussion."

I nodded slightly and silently got up and left the room. How was I supposed to do this? To ask others to help me do this shameful act? As I opened the door to the hallway, I almost tripped over a fellow hunter's body. Looking around, all of the hunters had taken shelter from the rain and had packed every inch of free and unobstructed space.

"Hey! Get that damn horse away from here! We don't have space!"

Turning to the disturbance, I saw White Lilly trying to come into the building through an opening as another hunter tried to keep her away.

"Hey!" I exclaimed. Running to Lilly, I calmed her down and told the man to back off.

"We don't have room for her!" he said. Turning to Lily, I whispered,

"Sorry, girl, I'm afraid we have to go back outside again."

With a grin of satisfaction on his face, the hunter appeared as if he had won the battle with the demonic horse. Lily only glared. Looking to him, I asked, "Can you stand?"

With a look of uncertainty, he replied. "Um, yeah."

"Then come with me."

"Wait, what? Where?"

"Anyone who can stand and hold a shovel, follow me outside!" I told the rest of the hunters.

"What's going on?" They asked.

"I'll explain on the way. We'll need all the shovels and wheel barrels that we have."

* * *

 **A FEW HOURS LATER -**

I had to step away from that place for a while. All the destruction, death, and sadness that loomed over the Association was too much for me, so I had taken a walk through the forest to contemplate. Pushing my long hair away from my face, I looked up to the cloudy night sky. It had stopped raining, but now it was beginning to seem to start up again soon. Sighing, I thought about how appropriate the weather was. Cold, dark, and gloomy. Exactly how everything felt.

The two little vampire twins came into mind. They were so young and full of life, and that life was going to be taken away…

Feeling drops on my nose, I decided to take shelter under the long branches of a tree.

Kaname was going to kill them…

More droplets cascaded down my cheek.

Who was this man? This man who I loved? Killing the innocent. Has he been this way all along? No, that's not the Kaname I remember. That's not the brother who looked after me when I was young. Or was it? Was it all just a façade? A lie? It didn't make sense. Nothing makes sense. My head began to hurt.

The sound of footsteps and rustling broke me from my trance. Not wanting to be seen, I hid behind the tree, waiting to see who it was. Suddenly, a sweaty, older man dragging a wheel barrel came into view. I recognized him as one of the hunters. But what was he doing out here? More footsteps prickled my ears and a few more hunters walked into the clearing with wheel barrels as well. What were they doing? My eyes moved over to the wheel barrels and saw a collection of swords, guns, and other weapons. They were all very dirty, covered in dirt and mud. Where did they get them from?

Once they had all past me, I began to follow their trail back. The rain had picked up, so I knew I had to hurry if I wanted to see their tracks. Eventually I was led out of the tree line and into a large field. I blinked away the rain drops and squinted my eyes. A cemetery? Large tombstones surrounded me, each engraved with the names of lives of those that once walked the earth. Is this where the hunters had come from? A faint light in the distance caught my attention. Someone was still here. As I began to walk towards the flickering flame, I noticed that the dirt from each burial site seemed to have been turned. My mind immediately put the pieces together. They…Did they really? My hand covered my mouth at the realization.

"You shouldn't be out here."

Startled, I looked up to see,

"Zero?" He had his back towards me with an oil lamp dangling from the shovel he currently had stuck into the ground. As I approached my soaked friend, I noticed that the two graves he stood before appeared untouched. His eyes never breaking away from the lettering on the tombstone.

'Kiryu.'

Slowly, I walked closer to Zero and whispered, "Do you really have to do this?"

For a few moments, he said nothing.

"Yes."

I lowered my head. Well, if this is what Zero was going to do, then he wouldn't do it alone.

"I'll help you."

Glancing to me, "You don't have to."

"I want to."

After a few seconds of silence, he nodded. He handed me the oil lamp and let me hold it over him as he started digging his father's grave first. The rain continued to pour over us both, making it slightly harder to remove the soil. As he kept digging, my anxiety was gradually increasing. How would Zero feel when he finally opened that casket? Would he still have the strength to pry his father's weapon away? Zero didn't deserve to have to do such a thing. I knew he was putting up a brave front, but I wasn't sure for how long he would be able to hold it.

A loud thump was heard and Zero stopped digging. Looking back to me briefly, I caught a glance at his sorrowful eyes.

He didn't want to do this.

Placing the shovel to the side, he felt around for the edge of the coffin. His hands seemed to have found the material as he slowly lifted the heavy cover. My view was obstructed when Zero opened the top completely. I searched his face when he looked inside.

His brows became furrowed.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Throw me the lamp."

"What?"

"Just throw me the lamp!" He exclaimed desperately, his eyes distressed. Without wasting another minute, I tossed down the lamp.

"What is it? What do you see?" I asked. Zero franticly inspected the inside and I started to get impatient.

"Zero?"

"I… I don't understand. This doesn't make sense!"

Jumping down into the hole to look for myself, I peeked inside.

My eyes grew wide. It was…empty!

"Where is…?" Looking to Zero, he was still in disbelief.

"This can't be. This can't be!" In one fluid motion, he took the shovel and jump out from the hole.

"Zero, wait!"

When I climbed out, I found Zero eagerly digging the grave next to his father's.

"She has to be here. This has to be a mistake!"

"Zero, just…" Just what? Calm down? Mutely, I held the lamp over the grave once again. When Zero had reached the bottom, I jumped down as he flipped the cover. I put the lamp over the opening and the next thing I knew, Zero had slammed down the shovel and buried his face in his hands.

His mother's casket was empty too.

* * *

 **Please review :)**

 **Go to my profile to find updates on the next chapter.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

 **I do not own Vampire Knight**

* * *

 _His mother's casket was empty too._

* * *

"Zero, wait!"

My legs were trying to keep up with the taller male briskly treading through the rain and trees. None of my calls were stopping him. I knew he was upset. Each of his parent's coffins were vacant.

Empty.

Not even a trace that a body had been inside. Where were they? Were they buried elsewhere? Were they even dead? Thoughts swirled around in my head as I picked up an increase in Zero's pace. We were nearing the Association. Approaching the entrance, I could see someone standing outside with an umbrella in hand, but before I could get a good look, Zero had already grabbed him by the collar and pushed him up against the wall roughly.

"Zero!?" I exclaimed.

"Must we always be like this, Zero?" the person groaned. Walking around the scuffle, I realized that it was the Chairman Zero had trapped.

"No more lies," Zero seethed, "I want to know where my parents' bodies are and everything else you've been keeping a secret from me! I want you to tell me now, not later, not inside, here and now."

The Chairman squared up slightly and dried his glasses from the mud and raindrops. "Yes, I knew this would happen, frankly, once I hinted at digging up the graves."

"Why didn't you tell me beforehand if you knew?" Zero asked, still clutching at the older hunter's jacket with the same intensity.

"What would have changed if I did? You would have still gone out there and dug up the graves to see for yourself."

"Where are they?" Zero furiously asked again. Sighing sadly, the Chairman replied,

"They are not anywhere, Zero."

Silence took over my childhood friend, processing the words he had just heard.

"Wha-What do you mean? They have to be…somewhere-I don't understand."

Sensing a break in his captor's irate behavior, the brownish-blond man seized the opportunity to gently remove himself from Zero's grip.

"I'm saying your parents' bodies were cremated."

"Cremated?"

The Chairman nodded.

"For what reason? Cremation is only done for those who bring dishonor to the hunter society. My parents were well liked. They were top hunters amongst the Association. At one point, my own mother was considered for the presidency and my father was ranked the hunter with the most Level E kills. Why were they treated like traitors and criminals!?" Zero questioned.

"Well…because in the eyes of the elders at the time, they were," the current President stated. Zero was speechless.

"Your parents had an agreement with Haruka and Juuri Kuran that if they gained control of their respective groups, they would both strive for peace amongst the divided species."

My head snapped up to the familiar names. "My parents!?"

"Yes. This was kept secret from the others. I was the only other hunter who knew and I helped them keep it quiet."

"You're lying!" Zero exclaimed. "My mother and father would never join forces with purebloods. They told me themselves never to trust a vampire, much less a pureblood. They both tried to instill that in Ichiru and I since the beginning."

"You're right, Zero. Your parents were just as much hunters as the others, holding no sympathy to those that turned to uncontrollable lust. However, they eventually saw the same problem I have been seeing for many years. We can't go on like this. Vampires and humans can't go on like this! Fighting and killing each other! We'll wipe each other out! We needed to find a way to co-exist. Your parents knew this. They came to me only with their thoughts because they knew that I felt the same. A better future, not so filled with death is what they wanted for their sons. They wanted to leave a legacy that wasn't stained in blood as was previously. That's when I told them about Haruka and Juuri's pacifist ideals and helped set up a meeting."

Zero rubbed his face and shook his head.

"That just doesn't sound like them. Why didn't I know about this?"

"You were so young. I'm sure they would have explained it to you when you were older."

I suddenly spoke up, reminding everyone I was still here. "So my parents knew Zero's?"

The Chairman nodded. "They met multiple times in secret."

Sensing Zero's continued confliction, the older man gently placed his hands on his shoulder's.

"Zero, I know it's hard to accept. It goes against what you thought you knew. Believe me when I say that your parents were some of the best hunters that ever lived. But if they even thought that enough was enough, what does that say? They broke the trust of the Association to save it, to save you and your brother too."

Deep amethyst eyes locked on to hazel ones.

"How were they found out?"

Sighing, the Chairman removed his hands and recalled the past history.

"Well, it is said that eventually the secrets of the dead will be revealed. A few years after Haruka and Juuri were killed, the Associations's elders caught wind that they were collaborating with the Kiryus and they were furious. However, before any action could be taken…Shizuka Hio…well…you know. After that, the Association took their bodies and cremated them, placing fake grave sites in order to hold up appearances amongst the other hunters. They felt that if the truth was made public, they would receive a negative reaction and decrease morale. So they agreed to keep the secret…a secret."

I suddenly noticed Zero seemingly a bit more unhinged at this new revelation. I wish I could do something, anything to make him seem somewhat normal again. Tugging gently on his sleeve, I tried to talk him away from any cliff he appeared to be hanging on.

"Zero…" I whispered.

"I…I need to be alone." His voice cracked before he trudged off towards the building, leaving the Chairman and myself. We stood in silence for a few moments before it was broken.

"He's going to need time to process this." He said.

"Zero has already gone through so much. He doesn't deserve this."

"Yuki," The Chairman grabbed me by the shoulders just like he did Zero earlier. "You need to be his rock right now, his anchor. Give him some space for now, but eventually, you should speak to him. He needs you more than ever. Don't be afraid."

Looking at Zero's retreating back, I said, "I won't father."

* * *

 **IN YUKI'S CURRENT CHAMBERS –**

It was still dark and chilly before the sun would rise in a few hours. As I laid on my makeshift bed, composed of cardboard and anything else relatively comfortable, I stared at the ceiling, contemplating. The room I was in wasn't technically a bedroom, but it was empty and still intact, which was good enough for me. Thankfully, there were no holes blasted into the wall or crumbling stones. The only opening was a small window on the far side of the room. This area had been spared from the destruction.

Lifting myself up, I approached the semicircular opening. It would have been wise to get some sort of rest, but there was too much going through my mind… The other hunters were expected to arrive sometime in the morning. Looking out into the night sky, I pondered at the thought of my parents meeting Zero's. Could Zero and I have met before? It was probably unlikely, considering how secretive it all was… What if they could have achieved their goal? What if peace was truly reached with our parents and none of this would have happened? Would Rido still have attacked? Would I have been turned into a human? Would Kaname have been like this? So many questions…and it doesn't matter now.

I gently laid my arms on the windowsill and lazily gazed down at the tall trees in the forest…that is, until a saw a tiny, swift black object move through the foliage. I straightened up and narrowed my eyes to get a better look. It seemed to be coming towards the Association. When a clearing in the forest came into its path, it stopped, and I was finally able to make out what it was…A black wolf.

Taking in a shaky breath, I slowly took a step back while keeping my eyes on the familiar.

Kaname…he was here.

The lone wolf stared up at me expectedly with his bright brown eyes. I know I should have alerted someone, but something told me that he wasn't here for another fight. Cautiously, I left the building and walked into the night, in search of the black wolf. I made sure no one saw me leave, although, maybe that was a mistake. Once I approached the clearing, I saw him again, standing in the same place where I viewed him from my window. He blankly stared at me, saying nothing.

"Kaname…?"

He didn't move.

I took another step forward, slowly. What if this wasn't even Kaname? What is this actually was just a wolf!? A tingle when down my spine. The large, furry animal looked just like him though… There was something in his eyes that did not seem animalistic.

"Brother? Is that you?"

Still, nothing.

Sighing, I decided to stop acting like a lunatic and head back.

"Yuki."

I froze immediately and turned back to the black wolf.

"K-Kaname?"

The wolf sat on its hind legs and said,

"Did you come alone?"

The creature's mouth stayed unmoved as I heard my brother's voice.

"Yes, I did." Still not sure if it was the right decision.

"Are you doing well?"

I flinched slightly at his question.

"Am I doing well? After all this? After taking off without saying anything? After killing dozens of nobles and purebloods? Hunters and ordinary vampires where I'm standing now? You ask me if I'm doing well!?" Never had I ever spoken to Kaname like this…but right now it was different.

"You killed…so many people, Kaname. How am I supposed to feel?" My fists were clenched.

"My intention was not to make you feel any sadness, Yuki. Many of the things I have done have been for you, things I may not be specifically proud of." The wolf's eyes suddenly seemed to appear a little colder.

"For me? I hear rumors that you want to be king. To set up a new monarchy. Is this true? Is that why you want to kill every pureblood and noble who stands in your way?"

The wolf looked away.

"I was afraid of this. I was afraid of how you would see me after I've done these things. Tell me Yuki, do you still love me?"

The question had me speechless for a few moments. Could I still love someone after abandoning me and murdering hundreds of innocent people?

"I…I'm not sure what to think anymore. I'm not even sure if I truly know you. You always kept me in the dark, keeping secrets from me. You never let me in, especially when I wanted to be close to you so badly! You kept pushing me away."

"Yuki, everything that I do is for you."

"You keep saying that, but is murdering hunters and vampires really for me?" I exclaimed.

"I need you to understand…For years I've appeared to agree with Kain Cross' ideologies. I do want peace, but the methods in which he suggests, I do not agree with. I've lived for thousands of years. Before Rido revived me, I lived a long life. Do you believe that Cross is the first person to suggest peace between the vampires and humans? Throughout my life, I've seen many men try to make the hunters and vampires work together. I've also seen every one of those men fail. It's just impossible."

"And what about our parents?! They wanted peace too! What would they think of you if they were still alive?"

"Haruka and Juri were the same as Cross, too optimistic. As you know, the Kurans before your parents abolished the monarchy and erected a senate. Their idea was that if the powers in the vampire society were divided, much less harm would come to the humans. They were wrong. Instead, they indirectly created a corrupt group of aristocrats who only cared about themselves rather than peace. The Senate is useless."

"Is that why you destroyed them as well on that day? Have you really been planning this for that long?"

"I promised to change this feeble world the moment I laid eyes on your small form, so new to this world. I made that promise for you…and an old friend. The details of how I would do it has changed over time, but I would never be able to forgive myself if you became tied up in some corrupt game of politics in this cruel world. The current status of vampire society was not something I wanted you to experience, much less live in. I wanted to create a place that fitted you, a beautiful place. Since then, I've done things that I'm not proud of, but fully believe was necessary."

"Like what?"

My brother's voice was silent for a few moments as the wolf stared deeply into my eyes.

"To continue with my plans, I knew I had to become the head of the Kuran family. At the time, Haruka, Juri, and Rido were the ones the senate recognized and eventually it just became Haruka and Juri after the senate regarded Rido as too dangerous. You must understand Yuki, I did what had to be done."

My heart suddenly started to bat wildly in my chest, "What did you do Kaname?"

Kaname was silent once again. The sound of my heartbeat acting like a ticking clock, resonating within my ears.

"I made Rido aware of the location of our home, knowing what he would do."

The clock stopped.

"You…I can't…" The walls of my chest cavity caved. My hand went to my mouth in an attempt to stifle the pain.

The wolf took a small step forward.

"…I don't believe you." I said.

His voice was then small and soft.

"I also knew that Juri would turn you into a human if the opportunity arose, I often heard them speak of it in private. That was not a hindrance to my plans, so I allowed it, I thought it would even be for the better to keep you away from the mess for the time being."

"Stop…just stop! I don't want to hear anymore." I clenched my eyes shut. What I had known…what I had thought about my life…

"But there is more, Yuki, and you deserve to hear it all. I don't want to keep secrets from you anymore."

I slightly opened one eye and saw the black wolf even closer now.

"Even though Haruka was removed as the head of the family, Rido still posed as a problem. He wanted to take you away, Yuki, for his own disgusting reasons. I needed him gone, but I could not do it myself. He revived me into this body, therefore, he was my master and I could never deliver the final blow. I needed someone who would be able to protect you and eventually rid this world of Rido. I needed someone who could become strong."

"…Zero."

The weight was too much and I had finally dropped to my knees. The tears began to fall freely as the wolf looked over me.

"Yes. I released Shizuka Hio from her cage and only requested one thing. I told her to leave Zero alive. Everyone else was up to her."

"It was all your doing. All of Zero's suffering was your doing. You've manipulated his entire life to do what you wanted?"

"I didn't expect for him to have strong feelings for you, something I should have taken into account." The wolf added.

I stared down at the cold, wet ground.

"But in some way, I suppose it reassured me that he would do anything to protect you until I could be released from the bond Rido had around me."

I suddenly could not move. Whether it was his doing or mine, I was not sure. I was too numb.

"Yuki, I want you to understand. I needed to do anything to continue my plans and protect you. Vampires are a curse. They were never supposed to live with humans."

"You've seen the academy. It's possible! I-I don't understand how you could feel this way." I refuted with anger lightly lacing my tongue.

"You are aware that we live in a post-apocalyptic era currently, yes? That is what they teach in schools and it is in the history books. Mankind almost became extinct thousands of years ago. Many believed it was because of the amount of resources being consumed by humans and the production of harmful toxins that made Mother Nature retaliate. Humans were sucking the world dry, so the world created something that would suck humans dry. It is often said in some circles that vampires were the saviors of the human race, appearing just when humanity needed help the most. I don't believe that. I tried being that savior, it was never appreciated."

The wolf began to walk around my sunken form.

"I remember my parents. My human parents. The first vampires were not born from vampires, they just appeared from humans, such as I. My parents were good people. They struggled to survive and keep me safe, especially when they knew that I was very 'different' from the other children. Little by little, they began to see that I could do things that others could not. Not only did my increased strength and quick recovery from injuries frighten them, my intense desire for blood terrified them even more. Nonetheless, they believed that hiding those facts from the public was essential to my safety, and I grew to love them, even if I was confused at what I was as well. As I grew older, I had no idea that there were others who were just like me. Other vampires. That was until I met a girl. She looked unlike any other girl I had ever seen before. She was very beautiful. I believe you caught a glimpse of her from my memories, Yuki."

I nodded slightly, keeping my gaze directly in front of me.

"Something about her attracted me like a moth to a flame. I spent countless hours with her, just talking and finding out more about her. Eventually, she told me a secret. A secret that resembled mine. She was a vampire too, and she knew others who were vampires in our community as well. My lonely world suddenly opened up. As we continued to grow, we became close friends. We saw family and loved ones pass as we barely aged. We saw vampires become more widely known and also violent towards humans. Eventually, things started to get out of control and a fight between the two races began. I never knew who's side to be on. I loved humans, but I was not one of them, and they knew it too. Confliction consumed my heart. However, one day, I was able to make a decision. The girl that was always by my side held strong opinions for the war, vampires, and humans. She revealed the truth to me. She told me vampires were the real problem. They only wanted power and to use humans in any way they pleased. If nobody fought against them and their growing army, humanity would be extinct for good this time. I was reluctant, I had often felt the hatred humans had for me, but she pushed me to make the right choice. We fought alongside the humans against the vampires. I knew that they had suffered long enough."

I continued to listen.

"She was very much devoted to her cause. Even going as far as giving her blood to humans, creating the first vampire hunters. Truthfully, I never knew the extent of how she felt about humans until one certain day. The day she threw her heart into the furnace. She gave life to all anti-vampire weapons. After that, I became very angry. Even though humanity had gained a major foothold, I could not get over the fact that she had to give her life for humanity for continue. Why did it have to be that way? Why was something needed to be lost for something to succeed? From then on, I was committed to the cause without restraint. However, after many years, I became tired and exhausted. I felt as if nothing was achieved and I had wasted my time. So I slept. Darkness consumed me for ten thousand years…until I had opened my eyes and saw the creature that had woken me."

The wolf had circled back into my view.

"And then you came into our family."

So it truly is my fault…

"I never knew I would have a second chance at life and to be honest, I was unsure of what to do with it. The vampire race had advanced throughout the centuries and I was just entering it again after so long. Would I continue with my original plans? Or would I try to have the calm and peaceful life I never had during the war? The day you were born, Yuki, was the day I made that important decision. I vowed to make this world safe for you and do what that woman from my past could not, so I chose to go on."

I clenched my lip and refused to look at the carnivorous creature any more.

"Yuki, look at me."

Hesitantly, I brought my eyes back to the wolf's.

"At this point, I know it's impossible to rid this world of all vampires. However, if every pureblood is removed, the vampire race will diminish greatly and eventually become nonexistent. Humanity will forever be safe from the terror of vampires."

"And what about me? Have you forgotten that I am a pureblood? Will you kill me too?" I exclaimed.

"No, Yuki. You're much too pure. You're nothing like those creatures. I will need you by my side when this is all over. I understand it if you have some hateful feelings towards me right now, but hopefully oafter tomorrow, you will see that this was all for the better."

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes, come to Cross Academy tomorrow. Alone. I need you there with me when I set her free. This world will not need a furnace anymore."

I shook my head and said, "You can still stop this, Kaname. Stop this and just come with me! I'll go back to the mansion with you or anywhere you want to go! Forget the rest of the world and your plans and your promises. Live the quiet life you've wanted since the beginning! Please! Brother!"

The wolf turned away from me and started walking towards the tree line. He stopped just short and said,

"It's too late for that, Yuki."

The creature then disappeared into the night…

My cold hands gripped tightly into the dirt. I felt my resolve finally breaking down as the full realization had hit me with full force. For a long while, I sobbed. I cried for my parents, for all of the hunters and vampires that had ben killed, and I also cried for Zero.

Why Zero? Why did he have to pick _Zero_?

My legs slowly lifted. Before I knew it, they were taking me in the direction of the one I couldn't get out of my mind.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm suuper sorry for the extra late chapter! School is kicking my butt! I hoped this chapter was to your liking. Let me know in a review :)**


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